Life Ceremony

by Sayaka Murata

Instinct doesn’t exist. Morals don’t exist. They were just fake sensibilities that came from a world that was constantly transforming.

Everyone keeps telling little lies, and that’s how the mirage is created. That’s why it’s beautiful—because it’s a momentary make-believe world.”

“It’s the mirage that’s real. All our little lies are gathered together and become a reality that you can see only now.”

normal is a type of madness, isn’t it? I think it’s just that the only madness society allows is called normal.”

Dyed by the colors of the ever-changing world, I became part of the tint of this unique moment.

“People are more easily taken in by ugly things, not lovely things. That’s reality, they’ll say, that’s the truth! Then they follow their own imagination and make up a banal story to satisfy themselves, and they feel reassured.”

“Dunno … but when you follow beautiful words with nasty ones, pretty much everyone will crow about how you’ve spoken truthfully. And if you do the opposite, they’ll lament that you’re a hypocrite with your lies. Maybe they find it more reassuring that way. They just can’t relax with the idea of truth being lovely.”