16. Desperation and a Tragic Heroism

Itoi:

So when she said, “Because you’re desperate,” I was really happy that she understood me. And I do think that sort of desperation does show through.

Miyamoto:

Oh, that’s true.

Iwata:

These days we tend to use it when we’re making fun of something. Like, “He’s so desperate.”

Itoi:

Oh, you’re right. But I actually like it. When people call me desperate, I think, “That’s right, I am!”

Everyone:

(laughs)

Miyamoto:

Our company tries to support people who have that kind of desperation. Because desperate people tend to be thought of as a nuisance by others around them.

Iwata:

Oh, that’s true. That’s the kind of thing that makes Nintendo so interesting; everyone supports the desperate people.

Itoi:

Our company does, too, but I wonder if many other companies are like that.

Iwata:

That’s a good question. But I do feel like that’s a good barometer of the health of a company, whether they support desperate people or make fun of them.

Itoi:

I really hate it if there’s no desperation there. Wait, obviously I’m okay with taking breaks!

Miyamoto:

Right. (laughs)

Itoi:

It’s completely okay to take a break, or to take it easy, or to slack off. But I don’t like when people aren’t willing to do anything desperately.

Miyamoto:

Right. I don’t care about slacking off either.

Itoi:

Right. Because they happened to be slacking off.

Miyamoto:

Right. On the other hand, I really hate it when people act like they’re not slacking off. When they act like they’re really busy but they’re actually slacking off.

Everyone:

(laughs)

Itoi:

(laughs)

Iwata:

That’s the definition of just saving face.

Miyamoto:

Exactly! (laughs)

Itoi:

Desperation huh?

Miyamoto:

Being desperate is a good thing.

Iwata:

Yeah. I definitely support having that desperation. The only thing is, for example, I’m confident that I’m working desperately, but I like the idea of smiling through my desperation. (laughs)

Itoi:

Oh, that’s true!

Iwata:

I don’t need any tragic heroism.

Itoi:

But I think that if you can see that tragic heroism, it means they aren’t desperate enough.

Iwata:

(laughs) They’re tragically heroic because they’re not desperate enough.

Miyamoto:

When you’re working desperately, people have to step in and stop you. But with tragic heroism you want to seem that way to other people.

Itoi:

That makes sense. (laughs)

Iwata:

(laughs)

Itoi:

It’s when you try to shove how desperately you’re working in other people’s faces. Oh, I guess it’s similar to the idea of “face.”

Iwata:

Yeah.

Itoi:

I’d love to be free from all of that.