They face absurdities that are unparalleled by other races simply because of the color of their skin.
In the film, you touched on the ongoing issues of poverty and racism.
Bing:Especially when it comes to racism, I feel it's a very deep-rooted problem, especially since slaves were first brought to America from Africa in 1619, and it's still going on 400 years later.
Bing:It may be hard to feel in Japan, but the discipline of black parents is completely different from that of other races. We have to somehow teach our children that the reality is this harsh. Being black in this country may be tied to some reason."
Simply because of the color of their skin, they face inconveniences and dangers in many places that are unmatched by other races. Even if you teach such absurdities, it is difficult for small children to understand. But that is the reality.
I think the Black Lives Matter (BLM) that is happening right now is a bigger swell than the last one.
Bing:The 2014 BLM was also spreading on social networking sites, but the George Floyd case has become a much bigger movement. Not only young people and activists, but also people who have never been interested in this issue are now interested in how black people are treated in this country. In a way, this is similar to what Kier has experienced in the past.
The film also depicts divorce, single mothers, and domestic violence. Is there a link to the social issues facing the U.S. today?
Bing:Abuse is something that has existed since the birth of human beings, so it is not quite the same as a social problem.
I also think a lot depends on how you define love. There are actually many people who think, "I hurt you, but that's because I love you." But we have to find a way to trust each other and treat each other with true love. I am sure there are some hints in the film.
Sometimes Zack was forced to live by social conventions set by someone else, and I could see how this made it difficult for him to live.
Bing:I think that is often the case. The characters in the film all suffered because of the scripts that society imposed on them. They went to good universities, got good jobs, got married, had children, bought houses, and so on. Such expectations only create a sense of suffocation.
Especially today, we exist in a social structure controlled by capitalists, and since we are obsessed with numbers, grades, money, possessions, and other material things, I think that spiritual richness is increasingly being forgotten. I am sure that is also because that richness is not translated into money; it is not reflected in the GDP. I don't think this situation will change unless it can be converted into money.
