Goodbye dear Midori, what my deceased wife would think about 2020 | Seiichi Mizuno | TEDxShanghai
The speaker suggests the 2020 pandemic was a catalyst for changing modern civilization's fast pace toward a slower, more natural lifestyle. He draws inspiration from his late wife, Midori Kiuchi, whose energy echoed the call to change the world, and suggests the song "Imagine" represents her final wish for a world free from competition, wealth disparity, and borders. He finds comfort in their belief in reincarnation, suggesting Midori's spirit might echo John Lennon’s call for peace. ## Speakers & Context - Speaker (name not given) speaks about the period from late 2019 to 2020, referencing significant personal losses and broader global shifts. - The speaker and his wife, Midori Kiuchi, had been working together for more than 30 years. - Midori Kiuchi was an actress for 50 years and was previously a positive activist. - Midori gave a talk at TEDx Saikai, described as a unique version taking place on a deserted island in Japan, where she spoke with high energy. ## Theses & Positions - The pandemic (Covid-19) did not represent a "big minus one," but rather an opportunity to shift civilization from a *"busy and dry lifestyle"* to a *"slow and fruitful lifestyle of life culture."* - A core belief articulated through song lyrics: humanity's over-reliance on science and technology has caused it to disregard *"the power of nature."* - The desired world state, echoed in "Imagine," is one *"free from competition of wealth and free from military power expansion and free from discriminating people by borders of countries and religions."* - The speaker's personal response to loss and global disruption centers on faith in reincarnation. ## Named Entities - **Midori Kiuchi** — The speaker's wife; an actress of 50 years and a positive activist. - **TEDx Saikai** — The unique TEDx event location, held on a deserted island in Japan, where Midori spoke. - **Japan** — Location of the TEDx Saikai event. ## Numbers & Data - Duration of the speaker and wife's working relationship: **more than 30 years**. - Midori Kiuchi's acting career length: **50 years**. - The pandemic period discussed: **late 2019 to 2020**. ## Examples & Cases - Midori Kiuchi's activism involved *"being a person with clear belief of her own"* and *"wasn't afraid of saying no to unreasonable or unfair things in the world."* - The speaker scattered his wife's ashes in a mountain last September. - The speaker relates the lyrics of John Lennon's song "Imagine" to what he believes were Midori's final wishes. ## Tools, Tech & Products - **John Lennon** — Artist whose song, "Imagine," is referenced. ## References Cited - **John Lennon** — The musician whose song "Imagine" was recalled by the speaker. ## Counterarguments & Caveats - The speaker acknowledges that people might view the pandemic as a "big minus one," but counters this view with his own interpretation. ## Conclusions & Recommendations - The ultimate message, derived from the song "Imagine," is a vision of spiritual richness: *"a world where people are sharing the true happiness in relaxed and comfortable life."* - The speaker concludes that the primary vision for the world is found in the *song of imagine*, representing a world of imagination. ## Implications & Consequences - The shift from technological reliance to appreciating nature's power is framed as the most significant consequence of the 2020 disruption. - The speaker's belief system implies that personal loss can pivot into collective vision and spiritual understanding. ## Verbatim Moments - *"what is your plus one of 2020"* - *"My wife Midori suddenly passed away from heart attack in November 2019."* - *"it has given us an awareness to change the busy and dry lifestyle of modern civilization into the slow and fruitful lifestyle of life culture"* - *"you can change the world if you wish"* - *"God punished the human beings we human beings put too much trust in science and technology on the other hand we disregard the power of nature when i thought so"* - *"imagine i believe this lyrics seems like the last words from the soul of midori"* - *"I imagined the world probably immediately dreamed of is a world free from competition of wealth and free from military power expansion and free from discriminating people by borders of countries and religions"* - *"a world of imagination"*