At the End of the Matinee

by Keiichirō Hirano

“People think that only the future can be changed, but in fact, the future is continually changing the past. The past can and does change. It’s exquisitely sensitive and delicately balanced.”

“Facts are facts,” he said. “In today’s world, probably nothing is more important than verifying the truth of information. News that’s fake or biased can change the fate of a country, or a person, for the worse.

“Free will is necessary to have hope for the future. People need to believe that there is something they can do to make a difference. Right? But at the same time, free will increases their remorse over the past. They feel there must have been something they could have done. Sometimes, a belief in destiny is comforting.”