“The misfortune of others, viewed from outside the window, is more beautiful than when seen from inside.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
Japanese
「窓の外から眺める他人の不幸は、窓の中で見るそれよりも美しい。」
English
“The misfortune of others, viewed from outside the window, is more beautiful than when seen from inside.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima reflects on the distanced and aestheticized way in which people often view the suffering or misfortune of others. From the outside, other people’s pain seems more abstract or removed from one’s own experience, allowing it to be perceived as less real or more beautiful in a dispassionate sense. This perception is ironic, as suffering is inherently painful and tragic, yet when viewed at a distance, it can be seen as something more tolerable, or even interesting, in a detached, observational way. Mishima’s words expose the human tendency to objectify or romanticize the misfortunes of others when not directly experiencing them.
Mishima’s idea also touches on the psychological distance between the observer and the sufferer, suggesting that when someone is not personally affected, they are more likely to disengage emotionally and see the situation as less painful. This detachment allows for a more aesthetic or disinterested view of the other’s misfortune, removing it from the realm of empathy or compassion and placing it into the sphere of spectacle. It highlights a paradox of human nature: while we are often deeply moved by our own suffering, we may, at times, view the pain of others with a sense of disconnected beauty, allowing us to escape the reality of their pain.
In a modern context, this quote could be applied to how people consume suffering in the world today—through news, media, and entertainment—often experiencing it from a safe distance. People may feel a certain discomfort or even aesthetic enjoyment when viewing others’ misfortunes in movies, documentaries, or social media posts, without fully engaging with the reality of the suffering involved. Mishima’s quote calls attention to the danger of this detached perspective, reminding us that true empathy requires more than just watching others’ pain from the safety of our own lives. It encourages a more active and engaged response to the misfortune of others, where we do not just view it as something external, but engage with it on a deeper, more human level.
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