In his 'Lectures on the Mind for Young Samurai', Mishima reflects on being called a nerd for his love of literature during the war.He argues that today's nerds use literature as a safety zone to hide from the real world.He distinguishes between two types of literature.The first, which he calls second-rate, is relatively harmless; it acts as a comforting teacher, offering simple moral lessons and inspiration to those who are struggling, giving hope to the heartbroken, teaching that money isn't everything to the poor, and comforting the weak.The true danger, he warns, comes from "real" literature. This first-rate writing reveals the frightful fate of humanity and teaches through beautiful and captivating prose "that in this life an irredeemable evil lurks at the bottom of human nature", leading the reader to a nihilistic precipice and abandoning them there without solace.The greatest problem arises when nerds who consume this powerful literature fall under the illusion that they arrived at its profound conclusions through their own effort.This creates a false sense of superiority, leading them to become cynics who mock all human effort, sincerity, and passion from a detached and powerless position.As a writer, Mishima knows this "poison of literature" intimately, and admits that he only found a partial antidote later in life through physical action.He therefore feels a duty to warn young people to awaken from this literary intoxication, suggesting that only those who naturally possess this frightful poison should go on to become writers.
>>24944237this guy was so lame and game, complete larper obsessed with appearances
>>24944237>As a writer, Mishima knows this "poison of literature" intimately, and admits that he only found a partial antidote later in life through physical action.based. a good way to stop being like dosto's undergound man is working out a bit. helps self-respect a lot.>>24944475the pot calling the kettle black. superficial bitch judging him because you read his google ai summary instead of judging him by his books; which you've never read because you're a superficial bitch.
I don’t understand what he is trying to say here.
>>24944237Mishima, that baroque peacock of self-invented tragedy, forever strutted along the knife-edge of his own theatricality, mistaking the glint of polished steel for the shimmer of classical virtue. His sentences gleam with such lacquered self-regard that one half expects them to flex and preen under the reader’s gaze, while his postures—those operatic contortions of patriotism, beauty, and gymnasium vanity—whirl about like a kabuki troupe trapped in a hall of mirrors. He was a samurai of stage lighting, a moralist hopelessly enamored of his own musculature, and a dramatist who, finding life insufficiently dramatic, obligingly supplied an ending worthy of his most overwrought paragraphs.
>>24944593Good literature is supposed to disturb you, make you uncomfortable, pierce your beliefs and give you bitter pills to swallow. Not comfort you and affirm your beliefs. But it's not because a good book is a blackpill that you should let yourself be blackpilled and become a cynic. You shold engage with the difficult challenges posed by the books with honesty and survive them.
>>24944639Yes, great books are basically a matter of life and death. I agree with him, so do Kafka. Especially considering that you can just check yourself as you are reading a book, and close it and return to it later. He is absolutely right. This is something that I noticed, people lack this kind of awareness of themselves as they are reading those books and end up being affected like that after reading something.
>>24944528babe your insecurity is showing, just like Mishima's
>>24944237Is that book any good?
>>24944680I don't know, dude. His concerns were real. He was dealing with dudes like Osamu Dazai back in his time. It was not like we aren't living in similar times considering the amount of incels and shit like that. I don't think that they can be 'saved' by literature only, but it is definitely part of what is needed.
>>24944237>evil is... LE BADkwab
>>24944237>"real" literatureSo did he actual give recommendations or did he just establish a vague dichotomy to appear insightful?
>>24944680sure, i won't say you're wrong. what i said still stands tho; you're a superficial, feminine tabloid bitch who can't engage with literature.
>haha trenchcoat go brr
>>24944237>This first-rate writing reveals the frightful fate of humanity and teaches through beautiful and captivating prose "that in this life an irredeemable evil lurks at the bottom of human nature", leading the reader to a nihilistic precipice and abandoning them there without solace.I've never actually been moved by writing to this extent. I just like reading for the funny plots and the way it makes me feel smarter than the people around me.
>>24944237>fucking posers lmao you gotta be born with itYour OP successfully lowered my opinion of Mishima. And no, unlike half of lit I've never wanted to be a writer.
>>24944704The man is warning between literature that sedates the mind with simple lessons and platitude, and literature that reveals miserable truths of humanity, and you're worried that he didn't give out book recommendations? It's totally beside the point he's making.
>>24944237>This creates a false sense of superiority, leading them to become cynics who mock all human effort, sincerity, and passion from a detached and powerless position.Basically /lit/ and Reddit, they get super angry when they feel called out
>>24945243>The man is warning between literature that sedates the mind with simple lessons and platitude, and literature that reveals miserable truths of humanity, and you're worried that he didn't give out book recommendations?Again, without any examples to support his argument its just a vague dichotomy. >that in this life an irredeemable evil lurks at the bottom of human nature", leading the reader to a nihilistic precipice and abandoning them there without solace.Yeah this doesnt happenGay hack confirmedStill liked sun and steel tho
>>24944237What a homo
>>24945266I don't think he needs to support the description of either category with specific books, they're sufficiently differentiated.>Yeah this doesnt happenOh, nevermind, you're being an idiot on purpose.
>>24945296>Oh, nevermind, you're being an idiot on purpose.So if I disagree with his preconceived notion I'm an idiot? Thats idiotic to sayAt the bottom human nature lies goodness and that insight leads to a precipice of positivity and solace, is my stance. Ancient philosophy is on my side, a gay hack is on yourswho will win, I wonder? :^)
>>24945258thislol
