“Pleasure, like death, calls us from the ends of the world.”
- 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
「楽しみというものは死とおんなじで、世界の果てからわれわれを呼んでいる。」
English
“Pleasure, like death, calls us from the ends of the world.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima draws a parallel between pleasure and death, suggesting that both hold a seductive and alluring power that beckons us from a distant or ultimate place—symbolizing the end or finality of existence. Just as death is often seen as a mysterious and inevitable force that calls us to the unknown, pleasure too is portrayed as something that can draw us in, offering a momentary escape or fulfillment, but also potentially leading us to self-destruction or emptiness. Mishima implies that the pursuit of pleasure, much like the inevitable approach of death, has an unavoidable and inescapable quality that transcends the present moment, urging us toward something distant and unknown—a realm beyond the ordinary experience of life.
Mishima often explored the dualities of life and death, and in this quote, he links the concept of pleasure to the same finality and irreversibility that death represents. By comparing the two, he suggests that the pursuit of pleasure can become just as consuming and all-encompassing as the approach of death, offering a kind of release or escape from the confines of ordinary existence. This reflection speaks to Mishima’s broader view on the dangerous allure of life’s indulgences, where the chase for pleasure can become a destructive force, leading individuals to neglect their inner strength or moral integrity in favor of fleeting satisfaction.
In a modern context, Mishima’s words remind us of the temptation of pleasure in contemporary society, where the pursuit of instant gratification and self-indulgence often overshadow deeper, more lasting forms of fulfillment. Whether through consumerism, social media, or the pursuit of momentary pleasures, individuals can be lured toward distractions that promise satisfaction but ultimately leave them feeling empty or unfulfilled. Mishima’s parallel between pleasure and death suggests that, just as we must eventually confront our mortality, we must also recognize the transitory and fleeting nature of pleasure, and the potential emptiness it can bring when it becomes the ultimate focus of our existence.
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