With unfading hope, adamant courage, and paranoid passion, all the competitors have dreamed the impossible dream like the man of La Mancha. Then they have tripped down the smothering global theater and lifted up shiny and seductive slogans to be the Pretenders to the throne. Thus, they have exploited winning slogans so far. They do believe that:
“The slogan is my unique cornerstone as well as my talisman. It will help me get the „Justice‟ from the people at home and abroad.”
Printed by professionalism, the slogans are fascinating and far-out with devastating charm as below:
“Now „we build excitement‟
to „reach higher‟
with „the power of dreams‟
and „confidence in motion‟
in „the Pursuit of Perfection‟
to „be the first and be the best‟
with „new thinking and new possibilities‟
to make „the Best or nothing.‟
Let‟s „Drive one’
with „the power of engineering’
also with „the Passion of perfection’
to play an „inspired performance.‟
And then „Shift the way you move‟
in „motion and emotion‟
to „discover the difference‟
for a „sheer driving pleasure.
Finally, „Drive earth’
to the „high-end‟
with „the power to surprise’
and „créative technologie‟
for a „smile for tomorrow‟
under the „leadership with trust.’
Kindled by their self-reliance and paranoid passion all the slogans are in full blossom. They are flying like flags or banners or pennants in the battlefield the world over. Here we see their hyperactivity and the new time spirit, zeitgeist.
In a sense, the statesmanlike, entrancing slogans are the signs for their hidden design. If so, the signs are admittedly „denuded designs’ of their greedy and warlike mindset. If true, the slogans are merely the tip of the iceberg of representing their mindset.
In other words, the slogans indirectly speak that competitions are fiercely brutal and desperate for survival. If so, the slogans signify the duels of wits among the world powers. From this point of view, their slogans are no other than battle cries as well as propagandas.
Now their signs and denuded designs have been presented before the people. So those can be easily caught and read in the name of human beings‟ warfare and welfare. Under the tumid slogans all the pretending rivals have successfully masked their personal zeal and begun to spread out their ambition. Already, they have marched on the warpath to be the very Champion and take the Power.
“Porcupine dilemma”
At first glance the slogans are worth the symbol of their dream matching their alluring magniloquence. And, all the competitors are go-getters, nice-looking, righteous, and trustworthy with beaux gestes. So, they look favorable and cooperative between the rivals.
However, such gentle modes are simply stripped-pants diplomacy. The slogans are not their real face. It is simply seeming face. Those are all Tatemae (建前, face or shell in Japanese language). They are merely image advertising tools.
Their Honne(本根, hidden mind in Japanese language) is different. Their hidden mind is full of careerism mixed with Machiavellism. Thus, their hidden mind is not the same as their face. In short, Honne is quite different from Tatemae (seeming shell). Their mind is still over there.
That is, in a word, to win the victory after victory in this world Cup Game. The very fact is their Honne. It is an undeniable fact in this exorable world for their realistic goal is far from Tatemae. Therefore, the drooly slogans are not their Honne.
To be sure, their Honne is the ultimate victory in this Olympic Game. Once again, whatever they strive for in the name of humanity and humility is not their Honne. Their Honne is to catch up with the victory and the glory like the Olympic Championship. For such a reason, they are to bear the rule in the world. Under the plausible Tatemae, they are continuously struggling for the power like Julius Caesar of the old Rome. Right, even if it is not to be seen their Honne it must be the whole conquest of the world.
“Anorexia”
Further, all of the world competitors have no anorexia. They have much more ferocious appetites than wild predators such as shark, lion, and tiger.
As always, they are all gluttons so they are human predators.
And, they are not amateurs but professional predators.
Absolutely they are ruthless gamesters under the grand design and string-pulling. Thus the world powers, as human predators as well as professional gamesters, are not hospitable each other even in a graceful carriage. As always, they have been focused on how to get the throne of the entire world as the Pretenders to the throne of the entire world.
Therefore, they, as Pretenders, are by nature sensitive and competitive, coupled with obsession to win. There is not next of kin around them. Even a next-door neighbor is not a friend but a foe. For example, the 3 American macho men live side by side in the same town and say, „We are solid with each other as neighborhood.‟ However, it is a big lie. Even if they seem to be buddy-buddy outside they are not friends at all. Inside, they are hostile to each other. All the Pretenders are „dead ringers‟ like the American case. Sometimes, rivalry is visible. Other times it is not visible, for the on-going struggle is the White War. Under the bright smile on the face lots of strategic alliances and tactical actions are made.
All the interdependent collusions are underway even now in the name of co-existence and co-prosperity. Military leagues and political combinations are in progress as backstage negotiations. A hush-hush policy, still hunt, and double bluff are also afoot behind the curtain. Tatemae and Honne alternate each other as double-dealing.
Admittedly, all of it is not a tail of roasted horse at all. All of these actions and reactions are focused on how, where, and when to throw a severe blow upon the rivals. Surely, the target is obvious and fixed under covert actions. It is to get the absolute power over the world. (口蜜腹劍)
At this sort of string-pulling and counterplots, they would vindicate themselves by using bookish economical terminology.
As if they were special economists they say outspokenly as below:
“Our final aim is to maximize social welfare. For this purpose, we are trying to do make economic alliances to enhance allocative and productive efficiency as well as eliminate unnecessary cost. Thus, we need joint venture or M&A (merge and acquisition) toward Pareto Efficiency.
(Left is Pareto Efficiency between X & Y goods. Source: Wikimedia Commons) Under the Pareto Efficiency, economic justice, public equality, social welfare, and technical progress will be made. That‟s all.”
In this way they have asserted to persuade the people. Of course, they have done their best as if they had been do-gooders.
However, they seldom explain their hidden goal or ambition to capture the power to coerce. It is no secret that double bluffs and double-dealings are on-going unlimitedly and boundlessly even this time to disconcert or trip up their opponents. Those are part of their grand design. That is their real face for survival. In a sense, it seems sad and deplorable.
But it is inevitable to survive the reality. Day by day, the road to Championship seems to be backed up with so many ambitious charioteers. But there is no backing signal in the road. After all, the Machiavellian tactics and power struggles prevail. It forces all of them to get into a porcupine dilemma.