An Encouragement of "Isolation," by Mishima Yukio
"But our position is that it is only from a situation in which we do not fear isolation, have no path other than isolation, and have no allies to help us that something will begin."
An Encouragement of “Isolation”
I. On the Lie that Mutual Understanding Between People Is Possible
Although it may seem that people mutually understand one another, they in fact do not. This is especially obvious when they are different people or races.
As you all know, there are in America extremist political groups like the Black Panthers, and black leaders at times hold public lectures. I heard from an American friend about a public lecture by an extremist faction held recently. Throughout his long lecture, the black speaker stated only criticisms of whites, and said that although in fact blacks had created human history and although science, technology, and culture were all the achievements of blacks, whites had simply stolen them and made it seem as if whites had created them, and there are among whites no such great inventors and geniuses. Most of the audience was white, and many of them were so-called progressive intellectuals. Progressive intellectuals are the same in America and Japan, a type1 that takes pleasure in being rejected, insulted, and having their fragile consciences pricked. But one white, who looked to have been irritated by the black speaker’s excessive criticism of whites, stood up. “I have a question.” “What is it?” “You hate whites so much, but since there have been so many whites across history and in the present, there has to be at least one whom you like and respect.” The black leader replied, “Yeah, one… Adolf Hitler.” Apparently the whole white audience went home dejectedly with looks of consternation on their faces. I think it certain that that black leader said that in the belief that there could be nothing more annoying to whites.