Please answer the following questions/prompts about the video clip, "Pure Corruption."
What is the overreaching point of the clip?
What are some of the minor arguments in the clip?
What is the main argument the clip made for its audience?
What are some repeated ideas?
Describe some of the new words in the video, and define what they mean in the context of the clip's main topic.
Stick to information that was only in the video and nothing more.
Write approximately 200 words in paragraphs.
By Friday, midnight, reply to a classmate. Point out one aspect of your classmate's summary that made sense to you, and mention one aspect of your classmate's summary that you disagree with and explain why.
Please remain thoughtful and respectful with your interactions with each other.
For those who did not make it to class, please post your blog before midnight tonight. The clip we watched was Chapter 2, "Pure Corruption" from the movie, Freakonomics. You can find parts of the clip on YouTube, and the entire film is on Netflix instant watch. You can also find the video on http://vimeo.com/12033732, courtesy of Arthur. Thanks!
The main point in the video clip “Pure Corruption” is that seemingly “pure” associations or people that are put on a pedestal are often corrupt, especially the higher the stakes are, and that this can be seen/proven by looking at the simple numbers and facts. Some minor arguments is the idea of honne and tatumae, or truth and façade and how people will dismiss untimely facts about something they cherish to maintain an image or value. The main argument is that while something may seem to be just and righteous, the opposite is often true when considering how things happen and the context in which they occur. The idea that we avoid questioning something or someone widely believed to be wise and just because of their position or place in society is repeated, along with the idea of corruption where high stakes are involved. Some key words that appeared in the video were “honne” which means “real truth” and tatumae which means “façade” Honne what is expected by society or what is required according to one's position and circumstances, and they are often kept hidden. Tatemae is what is expected by society and these may or may not match one's honne. In context of the video they illustrate the act put on by society that it is pure and competitive always, when in actuality a wrestler may be taking a fall for a friend due to their honne.
ReplyDeleteI think you did a great job laying out the crux/lesson of the film clip! You used examples to support your points and you included the use of Japanese vocabulary throughout your piece to authenticate your facts. However, there were some mistakes using a couple of these terms toward the end and one or two misspelled words. If you were telling this to someone who hadn't seen the clip, it would be unclear that it had anything to do with Japanese Sumo culture or Japanese word translations. It would have been helpful to apply these things to our culture as well. But you did show a strong direction and described it in a knowledgeable and concise way. Well done!
DeleteMichael Lopez
ReplyDeleteThe sumo wrestling portion of the Freakanomics video focuses on cheating. To say just cheating would make it far too simple. The clip is about corruption hidden behind a mask of purity. The video suggests the most pure of things often hide the most corruption behind them. Sumo wrestling is supposed to be one of the fairest sports there is. Two men barely clothed get in a ring together and wrestle with their pure strength and technique. The average Joe wouldn’t think there could any way possible that these two men could cheat. On the surface it looks like there’s no way of this being done. They might ask why would one man “throw” a match when they’re all trying to get to the top of the pyramid. Cheating in the sumo world is so easy because of ideas like this. One would not suspect it at all. If the appearance of something is kept up, no one will think any differently. An example could be one man being in debt because of his beautiful new Cadillac and his neighbor who proudly owns his Ford Ranger. The man with the Cadillac looks superior to society because he drives a fancier car but if you scratch past the surface his neighbor is the wealthier man because he is not in debt for the thing he is not in debt. He has more money than his neighbor but doesn’t keep up the same appearance.
You have a good understanding of what the video is about, but what are your personal thoughts on the video? Also, you use a lot of simple sentences. Maybe try different, more complex sentence structures to make your writing more fluid to read. :)
Deletehttp://vimeo.com/12033732
ReplyDeleteThe clip, “Pure Corruption” discusses that sometimes corruption can be masked by an illusion of a pure world or situation. The clip mentioned that when the stakes are high, a small percentage of people will always cheat. However, it can sometimes be revealed when looking at the data. The clip focuses mainly on corruption in the sumo wrestling world, but it also relates the corruption to bigger aspects in the world such as the economy. The clip repeats the idea that corruption is sometimes overlooked because it’s made to seem like not a big deal. The sumo wrestling culture is very traditional and honorable so, although cheating is rumored to occur, it’s rarely talked about or admitted. The Japanese word, “Yocho” means to cheat, “Honne” means real truth, and “Tatumae” means façade. In the context of this clip, these words all relate because the cheating is masked by a façade and not everyone sees the real truth. The main point of the clip is to point out that corruption is often hidden and not seen behind an illusion that nothing is wrong.
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis! Though I'd suggest maybe explaining your ideas a little better, a better transition to the next sentence. I.E. "The clip mentioned that when the stakes are high, a small percentage of people will always cheat. However, it can sometimes be revealed when looking at the data." That second sentence may need a little more detail from the previous sentence. Also your response was a bit short and as I discovered myself that blogger does sometimes delete entries when you hit enter for some reason like Ms. Taylor said, I'd recommend typing your responses out in word or a similar program before posting to blogger. It helps with sentence structure, spelling, and grammar as well which can be a huge relief!
DeleteCheating exists all around the world. Individuals are continually attempting heists and scandals to acquire wealth, power, or to simply get above the common man. As opposed to working hard in just ways that align with the law, people get overwhelmed with avarice causing them to do hurtful things that can affect the financial well being of others.
ReplyDeleteThe sumo wrestling culture is viewed as a proud and pure sport in its home country. However, numbers tell a different story. The path to being a successful sumo wrestler is steep. Sumo wrestlers work for years since their child hood to climb the latter. If one sumo wrestler needs the win in order to not drop down that latter, the other will let him win 75% of the time, but the next time they meet, the other wrestler will win consistently.
It’s a corrupt system that keeps a small percent of the sumo wrestlers above the others, limiting the success of the other wrestlers. The corruption is a microcosm of inequality around the world, the most obvious example being the 1% in the United States. The rich keep getting richer making it more difficult for the rest of the hard workers in the country. Inequality exists and is all done under the nose of the law and all of the underdogs trying to make a living for themselves in the world.
I think the writer of this blog ( Jason Rosado ) did an excellent job breaking down the main story of the clip " Pure Cporruption ". The only advice I would give , would be to add some of the Japanese words in his blog. Like the word yocho ( match fixing ) or honne ( truth ). I think it would help readers to identify with the sport. It would also help support the idea of the sport as being "pure and proud".
DeleteCorruption is a reality that happens at every level , regardless of ethical or moral expectations. As seen in the video clip “ Pure Corruption “ It is hard to see the different types of corruption sometimes because it’s usually hidden very well. In some cases the consequences are so severe that the ones involved will do almost anything to keep the truth from surfacing. Sumo wrestling is a sport that dates back thousands of years , and has a reputation of being a sport that is based on honor and morals as well as religious guidelines. Because the sports reputation is so respected the possibility of corruption existing is sometimes hard to imagine. Yaocho is the Japanese word for max-fixing. A wrestler might agree to a fixed match for several reasons. The Sumo wrestlers at the top of the pyramid are almost treated like royalty, while the life-styles of the wrestlers at the bottom are not as pleasant. So financial gain plays a huge part in the reasoning for corruption. Another factor could be intimidation or the desire to help a fellow wrestler climb the pyramid. In 1996 the “ cheating “ in Sumo wrestling was busted wide open and the sport had a blemish on its record. The whistle blowers of the sports wrong doing would later end up dead. Both of the men died on the same day with the same unexplainable respiratory failure. In a sport where so much honor , integrity , and pride exist there will always be room for corruption.
ReplyDeleteYou did really well explaining how corruption happens in sumo wrestling and referenced specifics from the clip. I would add how corruption can also be found in other situations and how sometimes it goes unnoticed because it's hidden. I like how you had the paragraph layed out though becuase it explained the controversy of corruption in sumo culture.
DeletePure Corruption, Chapter 2 of the Freakonomics video, focused on Sumo Wrestling. Sumo wrestling is a way of life for the Japanese. Although it is supposed to be one of the purest sports in the world this chapter exposed the Honne, or truth in Japanese. The video focused on corruption that takes place even in the purest environments. The video revealed that the Sumo wrestlers have 1 match a day for 15 days during a tournament. If a Sumo Wrestler wants to move on he has to win 8 or more matches, but if they don’t they move down in the ranks. Statistics show that if a wrestler is 8 and 6 going into the final match, and his opponent is 7 and 7, it is more beneficial for the wrestler that is 7 and 7 to win than it is for the wrestler that is 8 and 6. This is where Yaocho, or cheating, comes into play. It was a key figure in the Sumo world that exposed the Yaocho in 1996, stating that often two wrestlers got together and made deals before a match, and the statistics show that the wrestler that was 7 and 7 won those matches 75% of the time, but usually lost the next match that he faced against the same competitor. This is where the main point of the video comes into play, although business or sports emphasize the facade, or Tatemae in Japanese, of purity corruption is often able to be proven within statistics. Or as the video clip said, “ The illusion of purity can hide corruption, but it can also promote corruption!”
ReplyDeleteNice job! I like how you used straight facts from the clip such as exact statistics and years! However, maybe you should have added some names and quotes as well. But it was great summary overall!
DeleteIn “Pure Corruption” viewers are able to see how in the sport of sumo, a very honorable and respected sport, passes off as pure, but reeks of corruption. “People who are being corrupt are always trying to actively cover their trail. So, corruption is by its nature hard to identify, hard to prove”, this opening remark explains how yaocho, match rigging, is so easily unrecognized until you look at the data. The clip mentioned that sumo wrestlers are either at the top of the pyramid and live like kings or anywhere else on the pyramid and live difficult lives, the clip also suggests that cheating is helping the struggling wrestler make rank to get a bigger pay check and ultimately climb closer to the top of the pyramid. This concept of passing honne, truth, as only an illusion to create a façade, or tatumae, to get to the top of a pyramid is not only relevant in the sumo community or even in Japan, it happens all over the world. Even though “Pure Corruption” is centered on the sumo corruption it does relate to more world happenings, especially with once trusted, well known companies. Once people have trust with a well known, well established source we tend not to question or acknowledge the possibility of corruption, “Pure Corruption” gives us events and reasons to start thinking with a new perspective.
ReplyDeleteYou really understood what the clip portrays and how corruption is easily covered up by a "pure" image. Another thing you did well was use the vocabulary from the video and relate corruption in the Sumo world to corruption in everyday life.
DeleteThe video clip “Pure Corruption” focuses on Sumo wrestling and brings to light the idea that corruption is so easily hidden in places we least expect it. Sumo wrestling comes from a long line of tradition, purity, and godliness; for this reason, yaochō (match fixing) wouldn’t be an act that people would expect to be taking place as much as it actually does, if at all. The sport seems as if it’d be void of corruption, but that is where the ultimate deception lies. The “pure” image of the sport often hides the massive corruption occurring behind the scenes. Honne and Tatemae, the Japanese terms for truth and façade show that what people see taking place in sumo matches is actually all a façade. Often times in the sumo wrestling world, cheating is ignored and not talked about. Whistle blowers that have spoken out about the excessive amount of match fixing going on in sumo have “coincidentally” died. This can relate to society outside of sumo in the way that citizens often don’t ask questions or speak out about corruption even when they know it’s occurring, and things never turn out well for those that speak out against it. Although the clip mainly focuses on sumo wrestling, it causes the audience to think about other forms of corruption occurring in our society.
ReplyDeleteI really like the way you were able to articulate the point of the clip. I feel that you truly captured the essence of the corruption going on in the Sumo wrestling world and lifestyle.
DeleteYou were able to summarize and tell what the clip was all about without showing bias. You're summary allows viewer that may have not seen the clip know and have a somewhat understanding what it was about and leaves the viewer applying it to their own lives.
DeleteSummary 9/4/13: Pure Corruption
ReplyDeleteCorruption is defined as “impairment of integrity, a departure from what is pure.” There are areas of corruption in our society that are well exposed. The legal system or insurance companies are two areas that are thought to be wrought with corruption here in the US. Corruption knows no bounds and can be found worldwide. Japan is one such country who is no stranger to fraud. Like the United States, dishonesty or cheating has made its way into Japanese sports, more specifically, the world of Sumo wrestling. The existence of cheating, or yaocho, could itself be considered another player in the competition. Fans are often aware of its presence, but if the contest is exciting enough, it is ignored. Ironically, the Sumo custom represents purity and harmony. The actual rituals during a Sumo bout center on truth. The stomping of the feet removes evil spirits. Salt is thrown to purify the wrestling circle. Openly displaying hands represents the fresh, clean heart of the competitor. Money, the obvious temptation for throwing the match, is closely followed by the enticement of high regard and respect. The rikishi, or competitor, can even be lured by winning cartons of cigarettes. Quiet, predetermined agreements are made between wrestlers about who will be victorious, who will go home with a loss. Corruption is often difficult to prove, which is one of its most seductive characteristics. But it can be uncovered. Studying statistics can flag rigged games and even predict the outcome of upcoming matches. There are those who are driven by the honesty of tradition and, like whistleblowers in any culture, risk being judged, persecuted, and in some cases harmed or killed. Those with the courage to bring forth the dark world of deceit should be rewarded. The Sumo culture is divided by honne vs tetamae…truth vs the façade of truth. This is a universal battle, however, as has been seen in American culture with cases of financial fraud, even police investigations. The only way to combat cheating in any culture, experts say, is to challenge society to base itself on true ethics rather than monetary gain or power. Exposing the truth may be the road less traveled unfortunately. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant”, spoken by one Sumo competitor, is an important sentiment to be considered.
The clip “Pure Corruption” from the movie “Freakonomics” is overall an opinion-based clip of sumo, the full-contact wrestling sport mostly practiced in Japan. Many opinions are stated from people within the sumo wrestling association and from viewers looking from the outside- opinions of cheating aspects of the sumo wrestling sport. Retired “riskishis” (wrestlers) Akebono and Konishiki describe the sports rituals pure and natural, for it is strictly moral and discipline. But they also state that it is not that easy. “It’s a battle everyday being a sumo wrestler” (Akebono) Akebono states that it is hard to live up to the “riskishi” standard and that you need to work for it. Viewers from the outside claim that the sport does have cheating involvement claiming that the “purity of the sport is just an illusion”. They state that it is “hard to tell” that “you need to watch the number of wins and losses” in order to realize what is truly going on. “Yaocho” is the Japanese word for match-making- which brings about the theory of a riskishi choosing its own opponent a theory of why many suspect of sumo being not as pure. “Honne” is the Japanese word for truth. The truth comes out eventually but is usually hidden under some or many illusions. And if the illusions are so great then the truth will never want to be seen, just like sumo wrestling. To summarize, pure corruption is everywhere; movies, companies, countries, and even in one’s daily life. It may not be seen but if analyzed carefully you can spot it. But that is, if it wants to be seen and analyzed in the first place.
ReplyDeleteVery nice Nella. Although the clip actually showed a portion where the "key figures" in the sumo world actually came forward and exposed the cheating that was going on in the community. So I don't think that that is an opinion at that point, I believe it to be the truth. Weren't those the 2 that actually died in the hospital on the same day, of the same respiratory illness, just all of a sudden also?
Delete“Pure Corruption”
ReplyDeleteThe film “Pure Corruption” discussed cheating in sports. The film highlighted Sumo wrestling and the reasons for cheating in this sacred and pure sport. This documentary investigates cheating and what motivates people to cheat and how it relates to organizations in other countries. Sumo wrestlers in Japan are respected and idolized as Gods, so the stakes are pretty high to maintain your status. Which is where the corruption begins. According to the data, if a high ranking wrestler has already 7 wins and his opponent needs a win to keep his ranking, the higher ranking wrestler with throw a match so the opponent can take a win, and the next time they are matched up the lower ranking wrestler will usually throw the match for the higher ranking wrestler to keep high status and rank. Basically they examine data to find recurring patterns between players. In the film they talked about “tatemae” meaning the perceived truth or appearance of propriety and “honnae” meaning hidden truth. They also compared this to other societies and discussed how we do this in other aspects not just sports, but religion and the economy as well, it’s all about politics. And when someone breaches this and exposes these secrets there are some serious consequences, many mysterious deaths surround the sport. There’s really no industry that does not have some form or type of corruption going on behind the scenes. And the people on top or that benefit from this are the ones that will go to great lengths to keep their reputation untarnished and untainted by their society to keep their hierarchy.
The film Pure Corruption presents the idea that corruption is very widespread throughout the whole world and in many aspects of our lives. For instance it starts off as a piece about the world of Sumo and switches back and forth between Sumo and the U.S. economy and top players of both sides. It asserts the idea that Sumo is very important to Japanese culture though oddly enough the film shows that Sumo wrestlers only live a “good life” if they’re in the top while low players, the majority, live sub-par lives. One of the main ideas of the film clip is that corruption and cheating can be found through analyzing the data and it does just that to more or less prove that the world of Sumo isn’t as a high and mighty as the Japanese culture thinks it is. Analyzing the data shows that, because these sumo wrestlers know each other very well and consider each other family, if a lower level sumo wrestler needs one more win to succeed and his opponent will progress whether he win or lose that the person that doesn’t need to win will lose 75% if the time. The film also goes into more of a humanist point by presenting two people who brought forth the “truth” of the world of Sumo and were both killed, in the same hospital, on the same night, of the same respiratory illness and that the police did not petition for an autopsy. Another main point to the film is that corruption is easier to hide because of the illusion of purity. We, as human beings, question less if we believe that something is good., as is such with the economic state of the U.S. (though less and less every week imo) and the world of Sumo through the Japanese peoples eyes.
ReplyDelete