Did the parents really do anything wrong?

However, the food was just left there.

I say that if you do not want your things taken, then do not leave it for it get snatched up.

Is that just a common idea in East Asia?

You're both being rather literal-minded about this, aren't you? What they did wrong was not eating someone else's food - their fault, or mistake, was straying into the other world, the world of the eight million gods.

There are stories from every culture about people slipping through the cracks, outside over there, at the back of the North Wind, the second star to the right, into Sleepy Hollow, up the airy mountain... Such things are dangerous.

It's not about the money or the law, they are being punished for being careless and disrespectful. They shouldn't have taken the food, period.

You have the same mindset than Chihiro's father, who thought he could buy his way out of eating without permission with money, and No Face, who thought he could buy Sen's affection with gold.

It was not the human world, so it was never about money. Not everything is about money or gold also, even in our society. This is the kind of mindset where are born entities like No Face.


Do you think it's wise to go near a bear cub in the wild and would you blame mama bear if she comes to kill you for it? Would you go in the mountain at night without proper equipment and blame it on the mountain if you get lost?

There are forces at work that are much bigger than us, and that we don't often treat with enough respect, that can't be bought. This is one of those case.

Chihiro's parents should have known better and be more cautious.

They barged in somone elses shop and started taking their things. Do you think it is ok if i were to walk into your house and empty your fridge while you arent looking?



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The spirit of abysmal despair

It's a commentary on american gluttony.