Please answer the following questions/prompts about the video clip, "Pure Corruption," and incorporate your answers into a 200-word paragraph.
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. Please keep your post free of opinion, as this is mean to only be a summary.
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 also find the video clip on http://vimeo.com/12033732, or on Netflix instant watch.
The point of the clip was to show how there is cheating in the game of sumo wrestling. the curruption can not be revealed by anyone because it is not seen as correct to the people of the sport. it was argued that cheating was wrong and that is should be stopped but there would be no evedince to prove it. argued that identifying the curruption is difficult. the main arguement is that the cheating needs to be revealied but no one has the authority to do so. the reff or whistle blowers tryed to have a meeting to stop the curroption but the authority and protecting was not avalible. the numbers and results of the turnoments did not add up you could tell that someone was cheating by looking at the numbers. some of the new words in the vides like "shinto" was the culture or religon surrounding sumo wrestling like the rutiem they go through before they wrestle. "tatmae" the truth about the couruption but no voice to speak out about it. "Rikish" meaning strong man , all of the traning the sumo wrestlers go through th better themselfs. sumo wrestling is like a lifestyle to these people and the treat it like a job. these people make a living off of sumo wrestling.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a lot of the clip focased somewhat on how that a sport like sumo wrestling could not be called out for cheating however it doesn't seem like they were not able to call it out, many of them made it bluntly obviouse, it was just severly looked down upon to do so.
DeleteWhat is cheating? Who can cheat? Who Cheats? Is cheating the same thing as curruption? Pure Curruption is a story about silent curruption meaning in a sport we would not assume cheating or any form a curruption in there's was penty. It the silient behind the seens.This is where just the persons involved and or the mangers or intructors are involoved either by some form of gambling, money exchange, seniority, trying to rig a fight(yaocho) etc. being honest is also a sign of purity or (Honi). Sumo wrestling is also known as rikishi which is another term of strong men. The real truth of this story is don't believe everything you hear and see there is corruption in everything so do your homework and be honest with yourself that will make you a real winner.
ReplyDeleteThe overreaching point in this clip was cheating under the purity and especially long standing institutions. In other words to cheat under something your culture is known for like Sumo wrestling and you cheat while you are the bottom they will notify you and kick you out the sport and possibly kill you. Some of the minor points that went on during the video were the money the sumo wrestlers earn. If they went down in rank and got to the bottom the money they get is about the price of cigarettes but if you are at the top you could earn up to 1 to 2 million a year. Also a big thing was social pressure and rank in their culture of sumo wrestling. The main purpose of this clip was the appearance of purity propagates corruption. The main repeated ides were about cheating and being corrupted and also looking for patterns. Some new words that I have learned was “YAO CHO” and that means match rigging then another was “rikishi” and that meant strong men.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad to see you didn’t miss the forest for the one big tree used as the main example. My only real criticism of your summary is that a couple of your facts from the video seem inaccurate. The men who were died under suspicious circumstances were already out of the sport when they attempted to blow the whistle, and the Sumo Association has always denied that “yaochō” even exists. The money discussed as from “the price of a carton of cigarettes…(to)…one to two million yen” was said to be the cost of bribing your opponent to throw the match. As it is very hard to take notes during a video with subtitles, mistakes like these are completely understandable. I might suggest a selective review of the composition if you are at all unsure of a point.
DeletePure corruption tells the story of the many lies beneath the pure sport of sumo wrestling. We learn that sumo wrestling, which is considered one of the most historic and pure sports in Japan, is often a subject of “yaccho” or match rigging. The referee, judges, spectators, and even most fans know that this is happening but choose to turn a blind eye to the matter, and for good reason. The sport is so cherished and historic that if this lie were to be discovered, it would destroy the sport and part of a culture. Thus the cheating has become “hatanae” or the accepted truth. However this very reason only helps to promote the cheating. Wrestlers who earn money based upon rank help fellow wrestlers earn more by throwing matches, knowing they can get away with it. Those who attempt to rectify the situation in order to bring it back to purity are silenced by any means necessary. It would seem as though those who are involved, fan included are having a hard time determining “honne” or real truth from “hatanae”
ReplyDeletei agree that people tend to look the other way when it comes to the cheating part of the sport I believe though that true martial arts would be the historic sport of the culture.
DeletePure Corruption is a documentary following the lifestyle of what happens in the Sumo Wrestling world. The appearance of purity publicizes corruption. The sumo wrestlers are referred to as “rikishi”, a strong men and how their world is filled with corruption. The wrestlers put on “yaochos”, a rigged match to either help the next guy make it up the winner’s pyramid or for gambling purposes. With corruption taking over the sport, many viewers of the sport and the athletes have a social pressure to obey to, to make sure they see it to the next day. However, many see the path of corruption and what it is doing to society. They are looking for the patterns to identify the fraud but do nothing about it. This pure sport of religion is a gateway for cheating to arise.
ReplyDeleteYour final statement is a nice summary of a large point made in the clip, that the religious aspect and honor involved in the sport provide a cover for cheating. However, your statement, "The appearance of purity publicizes corruption.", seems contradictory to the message I took from the clip. I feel it was trying to show how the appearance of purity hides the corruption, rather than making it obvious.
DeleteIn the video clip, “Pure Corruption,” you are introduced to the idea that Sumo wrestlers have been accused of cheating. There are numerous cultural and religious ramifications from these accusations and “the Sumo Association has denied all of the allegations.” Sumo wrestling has “2000 years of tradition” behind it so it is difficult to believe that there is corruption in an organization that is based on “purification rituals and honor” and it is “hard to prove.” “Yaocho” are rigged matches and they can often be detected if you “follow the numbers.” Watching the rankings and how the wrestlers move within them can often shine a light on the rigged matches. There are two terms used in the clip that really help define the dichotomy of the situation. “Tatemae, which means the surface or façade describes the great spectacle that is Sumo wrestling while Honne, which means ‘Real Truth’ describes the corruption within the Sumo organization.” “When stakes are high and there is incentive to cheat, a small percentage will always cheat” and “the illusion of purity can help grow corruption" are two ideas that are repeated throughout the clip.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you used every aspect of our discussion time on the video in your blog. You give plenty of detail, and I cannot find any mistakes except for some transitional issues when you began to explain the "unfamiliar words" we took note of in class. This wasn't an essay assignment though, so I'm not sure there really is an issue. Nice work!
DeleteThe clip "Pure Corruption" is a documentary asking a quistion, "Is the sport of summo wrestling as pure a sport as the residents of Japan claim it is and by extension can somthing that is called pure really true or is it just a mask to hide the fraud?" The piece uses multiple examples of economic fraud from other countries like the united states to piont out simular practices in summo wrestling. The main argument the piece tries to get across is that something that is called pure only widdens the shadow that thing that is bieng discussed. For example summo wrestling is used to show this i multiple ways, summo is a very old and traditional form of combat were the traditions and style revolve around the idea of purity, but when looked from an outside perspective many suspicions can be found that no one seems to call out. This fact in particular seems to recure many times during the piece along with the heavy emphasis on the financial side of summo and the crupption of fight scores in general. In conclusion some new words in the video were the japanese saying for "way of the gods" was Shinto, and a phrase meaning "truth" Hone.
ReplyDeleteWhat is pure? I believe that pure purity is extremely rare even when something as old as sumo wrestling. One tries to be pure but in tough times even the purest mind can be altered.
DeleteScandals throughout the world can bring the world to a screeching halt in disbelief and severe denial. In the film “Pure Corruption” viewers are told about the possibilities of corruption in Asian cultures “purest” sport and religion, Sumo Wrestling. It is told that the Illusion of purity makes corruption possible and good look at the numbers can reveal the alleged scandal in the sport known as “The way of the gods.” The element of religion makes the allegations of corruption hard to identify. The possible scandal could change lives of forever, due to the fact that people look up to the sport. Who knows what evidence show.
ReplyDeleteVery well written and looks like something you would see in a article online or in the newspaper. The only problem I see are some words missing and possible grammatical errors(scandal could change lives of forever) but im not no grammar nazi so its no big deal. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
DeleteThe video Pure Corruption displays the fundamentals of Yaocho(match rigging) in the sport of Sumo Wrestling. It unfolds a "Pure science in an impure world" by informing the viewer that the Rikishi(professional sumo wrestler) who wins 8 matches gain a rank in the Sumo ladder which extremely crucial in the development of a Sumo wrestlers status. During the video it displays how corruption works in the matter by explaining that the headmasters of rikishi's meet before a match and exchange goods to rig the future match. With a quick slideshow of American Financial scandalists, corruption is exposed as a universal issue. The main theme behind Pure Corruption revolves around how corruption manifests itself to different cultures and justifies the circulation of money and power as a vicious cycle that reflects the status of elite officials or citizens themselves. In the video 2 key words define the subject of corruption in Japanese culture, honne--opposite of what is expected by society-- and tatamae--what is expected by society--. Throughout the video the term "purity" appears multiple times as a way to emphasize on what is honne and tatamae in Japan.
ReplyDeleteThe title “Pure Corruption” implies cheating under the guides of purity, especially long standing institutions are the ones that participate in such activities. They are consider above everything else to include the law. Below you will see some unfamiliar words and the meanings do those words:“Yaocho” Match Rigging,“Rikishi” Strong men “Sumo Wrestler,“Honne” Real truth and “Tatamae” alternative fazade/cognitive dissonance. The main point/purpose/argument of the clip is to show the appearance of purity propagates corruption and some of the minor points based on the clip are that some people acquired data to determine that some fights were rig,the ranks established were based on who won the rigged matches,the money involved for the Sumo and the gamblers side determine the winner, they already knew who was going to win.
ReplyDeleteThe clip showed some repeated ideas,that were repeated again and again; rigged fights, gamblers cheating, corruption at all levels, the society above the law, unable to proof or identify corruption. The culture belief that pure science in an impure world, in other words we belief what we want to belief regards to any proof that something is wrong or corrupted. The clip shows that everyone in the association can't tell the truth and if you do you will pay with death.
I agreed with your overall summary of the film. very detailed. The only thing I might suggest is allowing the reader to know this clip is about sumo wrestling earlier on, and or just a more organized thoughts? Overall, great summary.
DeleteThe overreaching point in the clip is whether or not cheating or true purity is what really is being practiced amongst the Shinto, religion of sumo culture. Here, Rishiki's; the Sumo wrestlers, live a lie to portray what doesn't exist,..."Purity may overcome corruption and corruption may introduce purity". In the Japanese culture sumo wrestling in general is a symbol and/or symbolizes purity in a masculine nature. Some of the minor arguments in the clip are how Sumo wrestling symbolizes that purity. For example, a stomp of the foot implies "stomping out evil spirits and throwing of the salt is to purify". As everybody is well aware, the main argument in the clip is whether or not cheating takes place behind the scenes of sumo wrestling. Some repeated ideas in the clip are whether or not cheating occurs amongst sumo wrestlers and how exactly the wresting is yaocho, or match rigging.
ReplyDeleteI love your beginning statement and how you discuss the rising problem of the sumo culture. It set the tone for the whole paragraph. However, when you stated that in their culture, sumo wrestlers are a symbol for purity, I believe that the sport also signifies religion and what they are willing to put themselves through for their god.
DeleteJapanese culture has high ideals of honor. Sumo seems, on the surface, to personify those ideals. It is similar to the Catholic Church and well respected financial institutions in the United States. The “tatamae”, the façade or surface truth, of sumo is that it is free from such things as cheating and corruption. However, when experts look at the data, they see clearly that is not always the case. The “rikishi”, sumo wrestlers, sometimes take part in “yaocho”, or match rigging. Whether to increase their chances of winning in a later match, to gain from betting on the sport, or to keep lower ranked members in their society, this cheating does take place, and money changes hands. Exposing this truth exposes dishonor in a sport that values purity, honor, and tradition above all else. The show of purification, apparent in the opening rituals, and integration of the Shinto religion into the sport often propagates this corruption, allowing it to take place. Those who try to speak out against it and reveal the “honne”, the real truth, are quietly silenced. Acknowledging the reality of the cheating would shatter the “tatamae” of sumo.
ReplyDeleteThis was a good summary of the video and I love the inclusion of the Catholic church and financial institutions to bring a familiar comparison into play. Would have like to see more detail about the "whistle blowers" being silenced as the statement above doesn't give you enough information if you haven't watched the video.
Delete“Pure corruption” is a documentary on Sumo wrestling. The documentary targets alleged corruption of gambling, and other impure actions that were never suspected in a traditional religion based sport. The director gathers useful information from researchers, retired fighters, and priests (referees) that talk about certain data and other evidence that imply scandals, and favoring in the sport of Sumo. The clip mentions repeatedly that people Speculate “yaocho” (match rigging). People who talked and tried to show officials evidence ended up dead from a supposedly fatal URI (upper respiratory infection). The Director makes sure to use minor and major points thru the film. Sumo wrestling is a cultural event among their religion, the fighters have to make sure to be the best and stay on the top ranks to be honored and respected among the villages. As stated in the film scandals happen all over, even in the USA. When the people heard talk about yaocho happening, it shocked a lot of the public who watch and enjoy this event. “Pure corruption” shows the inside details of Sumo wrestling and how it could be affected by cheating, and corruption.
ReplyDeleteThe documentary video clip "Pure Corruption" focuses on how corruption is facilitated or even propagated by the overt appearance of purity or honesty. The primary example give is that of Sumo wrestling in Japan. The video emphasizes that cheating can be very hard for outsiders to detect without sifting the statistical data. The statistical analysis of Sumo competition outcomes provides strong support for the possibility that "yaochō", or match rigging, may be much more common than the sport's supporters or administration are willing to admit. Even in the face of insider “whistle-blowers” the Sumo Association flatly denies any corruption. The piece theorizes that authorities are unwilling investigate these allegations due to Sumo’s close ties to the dominant Shinto religion. "Pure Corruption" also discusses how societies are often unwilling to even investigate allegations of cheating in long-standing, trusted institutions, or by individuals are or have been in trusted positions, such as the corruption uncovered in long established U.S. finance companies in the past decade. The dichotomy of the “honne: real truth” of corruption in positions of trust and the “tatemae: the surface of things” where certain people are held to be above suspicion is discussed. The theory is that people want the appearance of propriety more than propriety itself and this provides a cover for ambitious people who don’t want to follow the rules.
ReplyDeleteYour overall description of the clip is well organized, and very detailed oriented, and is also easy to understand. It has a good flow from one issue to another, which a lot of us need to work on.
ReplyDeleteSumo wrestling is a very competitive ancient sport that is practiced professionally in Japan. The clip "Pure Corruption" is about the corruption and cheating done under the guise of purity, in this case sumo wrestling. It's about the pure corruption of the sport sumo wrestling, and how misleading something so religious and pure really is. You cannot see the act of cheating by simply watching the sport but if you look at the numbers you can understand how corrupt the sport really is. Rikishi, or sumo wrestlers, take part of “yaochos”, a selfishly rigged match to either help keep some wrestlers at the bottom or to help themselves by planning for a future match to gain rank. When the act of this cheating is spoken upon the person or people making the accusations are shunned and kept quiet. The sport is not taken as a joke so when accusations come about, the consequences of even thinking there’s cheating going on is harsh and can be a sure death sentence.
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