“Bored people have no qualms about selling themselves to the garbage men of the earth.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
- He became a representative figure of postwar Japanese literature, and was highly acclaimed both at home and abroad. He pursued his own unique aesthetic with themes of beauty and death, and ultimately committed seppuku at a Self-Defense Forces garrison. His life, which combined literature with action, continues to have a strong influence today.
Japanese
「退屈な人間は地球の屑屋に売り払うことだって平気でするのだ。」
English
“Bored people have no qualms about selling themselves to the garbage men of the earth.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima critiques the boredom that leads to a loss of purpose or direction in life. He suggests that individuals who are bored—feeling disconnected or disengaged from life—are willing to sell themselves out or compromise their dignity and values in exchange for ease or momentary distraction. The phrase “selling themselves to the garbage men of the earth” evokes an image of self-destruction or degradation, where individuals, feeling apathetic or uninspired, are willing to give up their integrity and authenticity in a meaningless transaction. The “garbage men” in this context symbolize the empty or destructive forces of society, to which people may surrender themselves when they lack a sense of fulfillment or passion.
Mishima’s critique is aimed at the emptiness and meaninglessness he saw in modern life, where individuals often fall into a state of inertia or detachment due to the lack of deep emotional engagement. The bored person, in Mishima’s view, is not just passively uninterested, but is actively willing to degrade themselves in order to escape the discomfort of existential boredom. This reflects his larger theme of individual will and the danger of detachment from deeper human experiences, such as purpose, passion, and honor. In Mishima’s works, boredom is not a mere trivial emotion; it is a cultural condition that can lead to a decay of human values and the collapse of meaning in one’s life.
In a modern context, Mishima’s words invite reflection on how modern society fosters a sense of emptiness or disengagement, particularly in the age of consumerism, social media, and rapid technological advancements. Many people today face a crisis of meaning, feeling detached from the larger questions of existence and opting for distractions or superficial solutions to alleviate boredom. Mishima’s critique remains relevant as a warning about the perils of apathy and the importance of finding deeper meaning and engagement in life—beyond escapism or self-sacrifice to the meaningless forces of modern culture.
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