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Rebecca Jones Art Editor, BBC News
Courtesy image, fake images
Kazuo Ishiguro described the self-censorship situation as “dangerous”
Young writers may self-censor for fear of attacks and denials on the Internet. A prominent Japanese-born English author, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro (66), expressed his concern in an interview with the BBC.
Known for his works such as “The remains of the day” and “Never let me go”, Sir Kazuo, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2017, has an aggressive and negative atmosphere that spreads to the world through the Internet and other warned that there were people who did not write what they wanted to write in the terrible “climate of fear”.
He said young writers may be concerned that they could be “lynched online by unidentified mobs and have their lives ruined.”
“I am very concerned for the younger generation of writers.”
Ishiguro also expressed concern that non-established writers seem to self-censor themselves, avoiding writing from a particular point of view or having someone who doesn’t exist close to them.
“I think it is a dangerous situation,” he said.
Courtesy image, AFP
Ishiguro held an instant press conference in his yard when the Nobel Prize was announced in 2017.
Ishiguro said he was particularly concerned about the young writer, who could reasonably think, “I don’t want to take risks because my career is volatile and my reputation is even more volatile.”
Recently, there has been a lot of debate about freedom of expression on social media and other media. Some writers have been “totally denied” or asked to boycott their books. Renowned authors selected include JK Rowling, Julie Burchill, and Janine Cummins.
Ishiguro, who received the Knighthood in 2019 and became “Sir Kazuo”, said he was not worried about being “totally denied”.
“I’m a pretty established writer, so I think I’m in a privileged and relatively sheltered position”, “I’m a decent year old and I have a certain reputation. It may be an illusion, but myself. I think his position is protected, “Ishiguro said.
Mr. Ishiguro has written eight novels and published a collection of short stories in his 40 years as a writer. It has been praised by critics and has been commercially successful.
“The Remnants of the Day” won the British Booker Prize in 1989. It was made into a film starring actors Sir Anthony Hopkins and Dame Emma Thompson, and was nominated for eight Academy Awards.
Courtesy image, Ferdaus shamim
Mr. Ishiguro (left) lined up with the film’s cast and directors of “Never Let Me Go”
The tragic dystopian novel “Never Let Me Go” was also made into a film with actors Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield.
Born in Nagasaki, Japan, and immigrated to England at the age of five, Ishiguro emphasized that there are no “scary” themes or prospects for him.
“Novelists must have the freedom to write from any perspective and show all perspectives.”
“From the earliest days, I have written from the perspective of someone quite different from me. The first novel was written from the perspective of a woman.”
“The Light of Far Mountains,” depicting a Japanese woman who lost her daughter’s suicide, immediately received wide attention when it was published in 1982.
“More open discussion”
In an interview with the BBC, Ishiguro addressed the debate on the pros and cons of creating and expressing characters from different backgrounds, noting that “some opinions are correct.” “For such a person to appear in my work, the artist has to study, investigate and express himself with respect,” he said.
He said it was necessary to “treat people who are not around us with courtesy.”
On the other hand, “I cannot know enough about the subject, and if I think I cannot write it fairly, I am afraid and hesitate to address it in my work. But I feel like it. I am quite arrogant with myself, saying that I should to be able to learn a lot if I become, “he said, showing his attitude to challenge difficult subjects.
Regarding the “culture of cancellation” and freedom of expression, Ishiguro argued that “a more open discussion” was needed.
His new book “Clara and the sun” will be published on the 2nd. The story is about a robot that moves with solar energy and behaves like a human being who becomes the “artificial best friend” of a teenage girl.
“Optimistic” for AI
In the future, which will be the setting for the novel, robots will be as widespread as bicycles and gene editing will become commonplace.
“It’s not a fantasy at all,” Ishiguro said. “I have not created anything in particular with my imagination.”
“I didn’t write about an angry treacherous robot who would take over the family and even the world with friends. It’s a completely different story.”
“I am very happy and optimistic,” Ishiguro said, saying that artificial intelligence (AI) “provides enormous benefits.” However, there are also concerns.
“When artificial intelligence programs are finally able to write novels that make me cry, a ridiculously important line will be crossed. Artificial intelligence has become capable of understanding and empathizing with human emotions. Because it means”
“If AI can do that, for example, political activities will be much more powerful and effective than traditional data-driven strategies.”
“In fact, the AI could also come up with the next big idea: communism, Nazism, capitalism … If that happens, it’s very difficult for humans to control the situation. I’m worried.”
At that time, robots would have stolen my job, and at that time the world “would have more serious problems, not the other way around,” Ishiguro said.
