My next-door neighbor in the dorm is a huge fan of all sorts of anime, a term for a lengthy animated series from Japan. I don’t usually partake, but occasionally I catch a glimpse of what he’s watching. Today I became acquainted with his latest pastime, a series known as Read or Die.

Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t be too pertinent for a blog entry. However, I find one thing especially curious about this particular anime. One of the antagonists seeks to control the thoughts of the world by managing all the books in it…And his weapon of choice to do so is by spreading a worldwide language!

Perhaps, as an Esperantist, the choice of portraying a global language in a villainous light might bother you. If so, I ask that you consider a fundamental difference between Zamenhof’s linguistic brainchild and that of the Read or Die antagonist. Do not forget that Zamenhof intended for Esperanto to be a global SECOND language, rather than a first. I imagine that Zamenhof knew of the potential issues that would come from everyone speaking one and only one language. By presenting Esperanto as a second language, we preserve other languages, and the unique thought processes that accompany them. I doubt that Read or Die is intended as a critique of Esperanto, but it makes for some interesting discussion about the role of language in a thinking society.