“Perception is the weapon that human beings have developed to cope with the unbearable nature of life, but with it, the unbearable nature of life is not in the slightest diminished.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
Japanese
「認識は生の耐えがたさがそのまま人間の武器になったものだが、それで以て耐えがたさは少しも軽減されない。」
English
“Perception is the weapon that human beings have developed to cope with the unbearable nature of life, but with it, the unbearable nature of life is not in the slightest diminished.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima reflects on the role of perception as a coping mechanism for the harshness and difficulties of life. He suggests that human consciousness or awareness—our ability to understand and interpret the world—has evolved as a tool or weapon to help us deal with life’s inherent suffering and challenges. However, despite this ability to perceive and make sense of the world, Mishima argues that suffering or existential hardship remains unchanged and unrelieved. Our awareness may help us endure or make sense of life’s struggles, but it does not diminish the fundamental pain or difficulty that comes with living.
This quote reflects Mishima’s existential outlook, where life’s inherent suffering cannot be fully escaped, even by the most sophisticated or enlightened ways of thinking. While the human mind has the power to intellectualize and rationalize suffering, this awareness does not alleviate it. In fact, the knowledge and recognition of life’s harshness may only serve to deepen the experience of pain and discomfort, as we become more aware of our vulnerability and the impermanence of existence. Mishima often explored the tension between the mind and body, as well as the intellectualization of suffering versus its raw experience.
In a modern context, Mishima’s words resonate with the overwhelming nature of contemporary life, where we may have the tools of awareness, understanding, and technology to help us navigate the complexities of existence. Yet, these tools often do not reduce the fundamental challenges we face, such as emotional pain, loss, and alienation. Mishima’s perspective challenges us to acknowledge that intellectualizing or rationalizing suffering may not be enough to relieve the weight of existence, and that accepting the unavoidable nature of pain and difficulty might be a more authentic approach to living.
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