“The lack of will to live and optimism form the laziest of connections, and this is what it means to be human.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
Japanese
「生きる意志の欠如と楽天主義との、世にも怠惰な結びつきが人間というものだ」
English
“The lack of will to live and optimism form the laziest of connections, and this is what it means to be human.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima critiques the contradictory nature of human existence, where a lack of drive or will to live is often coupled with an unearned optimism or complacency. He suggests that this lazy connection between a lack of ambition and a false sense of hope characterizes much of the human condition. Mishima’s words reflect his belief that many people, rather than confronting the true struggles of life, tend to avoid them through empty optimism or passive acceptance. This duality—where people lack the will to truly live but still maintain an unrealistic sense of hope—leads to a kind of existential laziness, where people are not actively striving or engaging with the challenges of existence.
Mishima often explored the darker aspects of human nature, focusing on the tensions between idealism and reality. In his view, human beings are often trapped in a state of inaction, unable or unwilling to engage with the depths of life or the realities of mortality. Instead of confronting the harshness of existence with a strong will, people tend to fall into a comfortable complacency, holding onto an optimism that is more about denial than about genuine hope. Mishima’s words suggest that this lack of engagement with life’s true meaning is the laziness that defines modern humanity.
In a contemporary context, this quote can be interpreted as a critique of passive optimism that often pervades modern life, where people may focus on positive thinking or short-term distractions rather than addressing deeper existential questions or life’s real struggles. In a world filled with instant gratification and surface-level solutions, Mishima’s insight urges individuals to confront life’s difficulties with a stronger will and a more authentic form of hope—one that does not shy away from reality but seeks to actively engage with it.
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