DOMINATING TRADITION: SOKA GAKKAI AND THE. CREATION OF HISTORY by Levi McLaughlin with commentary

https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/12949/1/MQ  DOMINATING TRADITION: SOKA GAKKAI AND THE. CREATION OF HISTORY with commentary

"All written works of previous presidents have been rewritten by their successors and any mention in the previous president's works of a possible successor, if there was any, have been omitted. All of the literature that connotes approval of the leader has been created ex post facto by the leader himself.

This is another example of domination. By rewriting history, the leader demonstrates his dominance over it. The figure of the previous leader, who was once dominant in the leadercs life is now controlled by the once dominated current president. By confirming through rewritten history that everything the current president is doing is enlightened and worthy, the current leader and author of the new history is co-opting the eminent figure of the dead leader into a subservient role.

It is possible to veiw this behaviour as a type of retribution for the years of his own subservience. Now that the dominant figure is dead, he, or at least his public persona, can be used and manipulated by his replacement."

'I served Mr Toda night and day, Daisaku, he used to say...(anything I want him to say)'

And so the worm turns...that's the game now with Daisaku himself. Years of being dominated, berated and publicly humiliated for the likes of Mr Harada & Mr Wada et al, will come to fruition, so they hope - they bided their time and now it's payback time. And the genius is that they don't even have to step into the spotlight.

All they need to do is stay out of sight behind the curtain, pulling the strings of the Ikeda puppet they have created (probably since mid 2000's - that's when the tone and language of "Daisaku's" lectures becomes different, more overtly directive and authoritarian). That's when the videos started to appear outside Japan.

They can make him say anything they want him to say, dance to any tune they want him to dance to. They can use his charisma and presence, that they themselves lack, to ride the meal ticket that he's provided to a comfortable, easy life.

They don't even really have to worry about the waning memory of a man faded from the spotlight. Someone elses problem. In 50 years or less, Daisaku will be a dim memory unless they can somehow mythologise him into a more eternal figure that a wider audience want to buy.

But these guys are old and likely quite selfish. Who cares if it all unravels after they're dead, so long as they've got their pensions paid and maybe stuff that's fallen into their laps?

The SGI faithful have no idea what's going to hit them, especially the younger ones who believed all the eternal mentor and glorious organisation with a noble mission stuff.

They'll still be alive when the scandals that nobody is particularly bothered about hushing up anymore start hitting. The unedifying sight of people scrapping over the remaining spoils and trying to deflect the blame. That's going to be a nasty shock for the sincere but gullible and naieve.

Unfortunately, the current puppet masters didn't bank in toto. No wonder a sense of panic and urgency has crept in of late. It can't unravel now...not now...not just yet...lool but it is. Too late.