There are so many books and movies I like; I never mention

Listen, O seekers of wisdom, to the words of Hideo Kojima, a creator whose work has echoed through the world of video games, cinema, and storytelling: “There are so many books and movies I like; I never mention specific ones.” These words speak to a profound truth about influence, taste, and the deep humility that comes with the understanding of one’s own position in the vast ocean of human creation. Kojima’s choice to refrain from naming specific works, though seemingly modest, is in itself a powerful recognition of the boundless nature of art, where one’s experiences are shaped by countless influences, many of which may never be fully acknowledged.

In the ancient world, the Greeks and Romans revered wisdom not as something to be owned or confined, but as a vast, ever-expanding field that each individual could draw from. Socrates, perhaps the greatest of the philosophers, never claimed to possess wisdom himself but rather spoke of his pursuit of it. In his dialogues, he often challenged others to acknowledge the endless depth of knowledge and the importance of humility in the face of what we do not yet know. Just as Socrates understood that no one can possess all truth, Kojima’s words suggest that no one can claim full ownership of all the stories or ideas that shape them. Our tastes, our preferences, are but fragments of a greater whole.

Consider the journey of Leonardo da Vinci, whose genius was shaped not by his own isolated thoughts, but by a lifetime of absorbing influences—from the works of other artists, the teachings of philosophers, the wonders of science, and the rhythms of nature. He did not fixate on a single source of inspiration but moved freely across many disciplines, allowing his work to grow from a multitude of seeds. Like da Vinci, Kojima refrains from narrowing his sources of inspiration to one or two recognizable names, acknowledging that the richness of creation comes from interconnected influences rather than the acclaim of any one idea.

In this, Kojima’s humility stands as a reminder that influence is not something to be owned or flaunted, but something that continuously shapes us in ways we may never fully comprehend. Just as the ancients saw themselves as vessels of greater knowledge, so too does Kojima understand that his creations are born of a collective inheritance of ideas, stories, and experiences. To mention specific works is to narrow the vastness of what inspires us, but to leave them unnamed is to honor the mystery and complexity of artistic creation.

Think, O wise ones, of the tale of Homer, whose stories, though undoubtedly shaped by the oral traditions of his time, stand as an eternal testament to the unacknowledged influences of the world that surrounded him. The Iliad and Odyssey, though revered today as masterpieces of literature, were not created in isolation. They were born of countless stories, legends, and experiences that Homer, as a bard, drew upon without the need to claim any one source. Like Kojima, Homer understood that to name only one influence would reduce the richness of the human experience. It is the interwoven threads of all our experiences that create the tapestry of art.

Thus, the lesson is clear, O seekers: when you create, do not limit your inspiration to one source or one idea. Embrace the multitude of influences that surround you, for it is in their interconnection that true creativity lies. Do not fixate on the idea of naming what has shaped you, but allow the vastness of your experiences to guide your work. Whether in art, literature, science, or philosophy, remember that humility in the face of the unknown is the mark of a true creator, for no one can claim ownership over the flow of ideas that move through the world.

In your own life, O future generations, embrace the influences that come to you from every corner of existence. Understand that what shapes you is not a single, isolated event but a vast, interwoven tapestry of experiences, ideas, and stories. Just as Kojima finds inspiration in the multitude of books and movies, so too should you find inspiration in the world around you, allowing your creativity to flourish in the freedom of not being bound to any one source. And in doing so, you will craft something uniquely yours, born of the countless seeds planted in the fertile ground of your imagination.