“Only expression can give reality its sense of realness, and reality is not found in the world itself but only in expression.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
Japanese
「表現だけが現実に現実らしさを与えることができるし、リアリティーは現実の中にはなく表現の中にだけある。」
English
“Only expression can give reality its sense of realness, and reality is not found in the world itself but only in expression.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima argues that reality is not something inherent in the world around us but is created through expression. He suggests that it is human perception and interpretation—through art, language, or other forms of expression—that gives reality its meaning and substance. Mishima emphasizes that expression, whether through artistic mediums or personal interactions, is the vehicle through which the abstract concept of reality becomes tangible and comprehensible. This perspective implies that without the human act of expressing or framing reality, the world remains indifferent and uninterpreted.
Mishima’s view challenges the idea that reality is something objective and unchanging, suggesting instead that reality is subjective and dependent on the way it is perceived and represented. For Mishima, reality is not simply a factual or material existence, but something that comes alive only when it is interpreted and communicated through human expression. This aligns with Mishima’s often explored themes of illusion and artifice, where the outer world is understood as a reflection of inner emotion and thought rather than as an absolute truth.
In a modern context, Mishima’s quote speaks to how media, art, and social narratives shape our understanding of reality today. With the advent of social media, news outlets, and artistic expression, our perception of reality is often filtered and constructed through the lens of representation. In this sense, reality is not just what we experience physically but is deeply influenced by the stories we tell and the ways we express our experiences. Mishima’s words remind us that reality is fluid and shaped by the narratives and expressions we use to understand and communicate the world around us.
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