Тонкое искусство пофигизма
Chapter 4
It’shardtoimaginehowOnodacouldhavebeenhappyonthatislandforthosethirtyyears—livingoffinsectsandrodents,sleepinginthedirt,murderingciviliansdecadeafterdecade.OrwhySuzukitrekkedofftohisowndeath,withnomoney,nocompanions,andnopurposeotherthantochaseanimaginaryYeti.
Yet,laterinhislife,Onodasaidheregrettednothing.HeclaimedthathewasproudofhischoicesandhistimeonLubang.Hesaidthatithadbeenanhonortodevoteasizableportionofhislifeinservicetoanonexistentempire.Suzuki,hadhesurvived,likelywouldhavesaidsomethingsimilar:thathewasdoingexactlywhathewasmeanttodo,thatheregrettednothing.
Thesemenbothchosehowtheywishedtosuffer.HirooOnodachosetosufferforloyaltytoadeadempire.Suzukichosetosufferforadventure,nomatterhowill-advised.Tobothmen,theirsufferingmeantsomething;itfulfilledsomegreatercause.Andbecauseitmeantsomething,theywereabletoendureit,orperhapsevenenjoyit.
Ifsufferingisinevitable,ifourproblemsinlifeareunavoidable,thenthequestionweshouldbeaskingisnot“HowdoIstopsuffering?”but“WhyamIsuffering—forwhatpurpose?”
HirooOnodareturnedtoJapanin1974andbecameakindofcelebrityinhishomecountry.Hewasshuttledaroundfromtalkshowtoradiostation;politiciansclamoredtoshakehishand;hepublishedabookandwasevenofferedalargesumofmoneybythegovernment.
