Very Bad Wizards Episode 273: Ah. Ah. (Miyazaki's "Spirited Away")
Nov 29, 2023
Acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki joins the podcast to discuss his mystical and dreamy animated film Spirited Away. Topics explored include the beauty of argument, desire for shorter episodes, critiquing social psychology, communication dynamics, Miyazaki's portrayal of stillness, themes and maturation in Spirited Away, transformation and help from Haku, the boiler room character and sit sprites, the power of names, coming of age and devastation, identity and No Face, cleaning the stink spirit, Miyazaki's message, No Face's self-destruction, and shadow people and perspectives.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Learning To Give Clear Verbal Cues
- Tamler recounts a college friend who was blind and how he had to learn explicit verbal cues to end conversations.
- The story shows many conversational signals are unconscious and must be made explicit for some people to coordinate.
Use Structure And Directness To End Talks
- Set explicit structure when you expect repeated social interactions (e.g., 15-minute office hour slots) to avoid overstaying.
- Use direct phrases like "This was great, I have to go" when you need to end a conversation promptly.
Ma: The Power Of Stillness
- Miyazaki rejects happiness as the sole point of life and values ineffable daily practices and 'ma' — the still moments between actions.
- Spirited Away uses long, ordinary scenes to convey maturation and presence rather than optimizing joy.