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Ignorance & the Unknown: A Chainsaw Man Analysis.
In a world like Chainsaw Man, there exists many untold secrets regarding Devils, Hell, or their universe in general.
In a world like Chainsaw Man, there exists many untold secrets regarding Devils, Hell, or their universe in general.
It’s inevitable to arouse curiosity within that world. But in a kind of world like that, ignorance is valuable. I’ll be elaborating the value of ignorance in an unknown world.
1. Quanxi’s Virtue: Voluntary Ignorance
Let’s define what is ignorance first. Ignorance is a lack of information or knowledge. Therefore, how can that lack of information, be something that is beneficial, whether involuntary or not?
Let’s define what is ignorance first. Ignorance is a lack of information or knowledge. Therefore, how can that lack of information, be something that is beneficial, whether involuntary or not?
We encounter this virtue from Quanxi, a.k.a the First Devil Hunter. She begins by telling a story. A story about the reporter she liked, then discovering that everything about that reporter was a lie.
Quanxi didn’t told us what she felt about that discovery, but her quote “Ignorance is bliss.” tells it all. Happiness can be found even in a lie. If she didn’t know about the exposal of the reporter, then she would keep anticipating the morning news.
She wouldn’t have to feel betrayed or disbelief. Her normal routine would just keep going on. In other terms, there’s nothing she has to worry about. That’s the unexpected virtue of ignorance.
This is also what she tells to Kishibe. To keep a blind eye, not only for the sake of his happiness but also for the sake of his life.
2. Denji, the Epitome of Involuntary Ignorance
Denji is the primary example of ignorance. He didn’t experience or even has a knowledge of what modernity is. What’s considered normal for him, is considered as the bare minimum for a Japanese person.
Denji is the primary example of ignorance. He didn’t experience or even has a knowledge of what modernity is. What’s considered normal for him, is considered as the bare minimum for a Japanese person.
All of that is the effect of extreme poverty. He was deprived of education, deprived of the normal life. But despite of that, he showed us that he can still manage to be happy, even because of something so little.
His ignorance made him contented with settling for the less, because less is something he barely has.
Even after being granted of a normal life, Denji is still living in ignorance. He continues enjoying his dream. Even Pochita is preventing him to know the truth; he is keeping Denji ignorant to avoid the unknown. The unknown that will eradicate that bliss. That dream.
Because knowing what’s beyond that door will be at the expense of Denji’s happiness.
3. Aki's Future
We also learn the importance of ignorance with Aki and his future. The future devil tells him that Aki will suffer in an inevitably worst death possible and even offers him to know it.
We also learn the importance of ignorance with Aki and his future. The future devil tells him that Aki will suffer in an inevitably worst death possible and even offers him to know it.
But Aki decides to keep his ignorance and not abide by his curiosity, which is a good decision.
After he made a contract with the Future Devil, he gained the ability to get a glimpse of his future. Despite his decision to remain ignorant about his future, or the unknown, Future Devil does not respect that decision and keeps bugging Aki about what’s coming.
Aki, of course, does not achieve joy with this. To have the ability to know what will happen, and what is the unknown, sure is a torture. And knowing that it is inevitable, makes it all the worst.
The time has come and Makima tells Denji to prevent from thinking anything while they fight with the Gun Fiend. Because if Denji is unaware, and believes that his enemy is just the Gun Fiend, then killing it wouldn’t hurt so much.
This takes me back where Quanxi advises Denji to think that its dolls imitating humans, to keep a blind eye in order for him to eradicate his enemies. Because in their world, you’re left with only two options:
To kill or be killed. With a world like that, Ignorance is considered as a survival tool, whether voluntarily or not. A coping mechanism to cope with the reality. Going back to Aki & Denji’s battle, Unfortunately, it didn’t unfold that way.
Denji successfully defeats the Gun Fiend. However, with knowing the fact that it was Aki’s body. That it was his FRIEND’s body. Just imagine, if he didn’t think it was Aki, and just some Devil who wreaks havoc,
he would’ve saved himself from all the pain and grief he’ll encounter in the future. If he followed Quanxi’s advice, he would’ve kept his bliss.
That was just the start of him losing his ignorance, of him losing the title, “Epitome of Ignorance.” It will clearly affect him in the future, or rather, already affecting him in the present.
4. Beyond That Door
This is where Denji’s ignorance was abolished, the moment he goes beyond the door. His bliss has come to an end. He learned that the life, the dream he was living, were all a lie.
This is where Denji’s ignorance was abolished, the moment he goes beyond the door. His bliss has come to an end. He learned that the life, the dream he was living, were all a lie.
After all, a normal life is too good to be true especially for a person like Denji.
His ignorance and naivety were taken advantage by Makima. Whether Denji knew or remained ignorant about it, it is still corrupt and evil. But the latter wouldn’t be so bad. Ignorance is a paradox. It is evil, but at the same time, it’s mercy.
It’s evil, in a way that we live in a lie. That we dismiss the truth, whether intentional or not. We become insensitive, inhuman, and heartless. But on the other hand, it’s merciful, in a way that it saves us from anxiety, sadness, insanity, and trauma.
However, this will be a massive turning point for Denji. This will be the time that Denji will acknowledge his ignorance, and that will lead him to the wisdom he will need for the future. A “Socratic Wisdom.”
It “shows how clearing one’s mind of false ideas, even if it leaves one in a state of self-confessed ignorance, is a valuable and even necessary step if one is to learn anything.”
5. Ignorance & The Unknown: Why Ignorance is a Blessing
"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." -HP Lovecraft
"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." -HP Lovecraft
When we think of the unknown, what commonly comes into our minds is space. That dark vast unknown space. When we think what’s out there, what we think of commonly are the aliens and planets and such.
But to know the fact that we don’t know anything about it, or we do know but only a fraction of it, is frightening.
To know that there is something in that vast of darkness, something that is abstract, that is beyond our comprehension exists, it fills us with horror.
Striving to comprehend the unnameable will be at the expense of our sanity. The limitless and unknowable quantum of space is something that could never, and never will annihilate our fear of the darkness, or the unknown.
There are two possibilities that exist, it’s either we’re alone in the whole universe, and we’re not. Both are equally terrifying and dreadful.
We, humanity, which is known to go beyond our limits, attempt to shed light in that unknown. That’s where Astronauts comes in. But no matter how many ventures is done, and how many studies and theories are made, we would never truly know what is beyond of our world.
And that alone, is mercy. Some truths, are better left unknown.
To clarify, I am not saying having knowledge is a bad thing. What I’m trying to say is in some cases, ignorance is bliss. I love acquiring knowledge but I believe there are things better left unknown.
i also shared it on tumblr soooo yeah spend hours for this and for what? would i do it again? definitely https://liaki47.tumblr.com/post/634838671755018240/ignorance-the-unknown-a-chainsaw-man-analysis
