How to Read “Everyone has sexual desire and hemorrhoids”
Iroke to ji no ke no nai mono wa nai
Meaning of “Everyone has sexual desire and hemorrhoids”
This proverb means that all people have both sexual desires and problems with hemorrhoids.
In other words, even people who seem pure and virtuous have instinctive sexual urges. They may also suffer from physical problems like hemorrhoids.
People use this expression to acknowledge universal human weaknesses and troubles.
When someone feels ashamed of their desires or physical problems, this saying comforts them. It reminds them that these things are normal for any human being.
The proverb also helps people see reality when someone appears perfect. It reminds us that even impressive people are just ordinary humans underneath.
Today, medical advances have made hemorrhoids somewhat easier to discuss. Still, it’s not a topic people talk about openly in public.
This proverb teaches us something important. It shows the value of honestly acknowledging the hidden parts of human nature. Everyone has desires and physical weaknesses, even if we can’t see them on the surface.
Origin and Etymology
The exact first written appearance of this proverb is unclear. However, scholars believe it spread among common people during the Edo period.
What’s notable is how this saying pairs two seemingly unrelated elements. It combines “sexual desire” and “hemorrhoids.”
Sexual desire refers to human sexual urges. People have long recognized this as a fundamental human drive.
Hemorrhoids, on the other hand, are a physical ailment. Many people suffer from them due to sitting habits and diet.
Why were these two things paired together? Both share an important characteristic. They’re things many people experience but don’t want to talk about in public.
Edo period people created humor by combining these two hidden realities. This expressed a universal truth about human nature in a witty way.
Hemorrhoids were especially connected to Edo period lifestyle. People sat on tatami mats for long periods. Their diet was low in fiber. Medical care was limited.
Under these conditions, hemorrhoids were extremely common. Medical texts from the period describe many treatments for them. Among common people, there was even a saying: “Nine out of ten people have hemorrhoids.”
This proverb reflects the realistic view of human nature held by Edo commoners. It acknowledges the gap between what people say and what they truly feel. It accepts the troubles everyone carries.
Interesting Facts
Many senryu poems from the Edo period featured hemorrhoids as a subject.
Hemorrhoids were such a common problem that people sometimes treated them with humor. Street vendors who sold hemorrhoid medicine were a familiar sight in towns.
These vendors walked through the streets with distinctive sales pitches.
The word for sexual desire originally comes from Buddhist terminology. In Buddhism, “shiki” refers to material existence and physical desires.
Buddhist teachings warned against attachment to these desires. But this proverb takes a different approach.
Rather than condemning such desires, it accepts them as something everyone has. This positive perspective is quite interesting.
Usage Examples
- Just because you’re old doesn’t mean you’ve reached enlightenment. Everyone has sexual desire and hemorrhoids, after all.
- Even that serious teacher is human. Everyone has sexual desire and hemorrhoids, so he’s just a regular person too.
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down for generations because it captures human duality perfectly.
In society, we constantly try to play the role of our “respectable self.” We suppress desires, hide weaknesses, and try to appear perfect.
But beneath that surface, everyone has instinctive urges and physical fragility.
Sexual desire is an instinct connected to the root of life. Even the most rational person cannot be completely free from this instinct.
Hemorrhoids, as a physical ailment, are an unavoidable risk for humans with bodies.
By pairing these two things, the proverb reveals a truth. It shows that humans cannot be perfect, either mentally or physically.
What’s interesting is the proverb’s attitude. It doesn’t criticize human imperfection. Instead, it accepts it.
By acknowledging that “everyone has these,” it eases individual shame and guilt. It creates empathy between people.
We learn the emptiness of pretending to be perfect. We learn to accept authentic human nature in ourselves and others. This is the deep wisdom this proverb has conveyed.
Humans are weak, imperfect, and sometimes embarrassing. But by sharing that weakness, we can be kinder to each other.
Perhaps this proverb carries forward a warmth in how we understand humanity.
When AI Hears This
Human upright bipedal walking came with a significant biological cost. Compared to four-legged animals, the human pelvic floor constantly faces vertical gravitational force.
The weight of all internal organs concentrates downward. This structural load creates chronic pressure on the veins around the anus. This makes hemorrhoids more likely to develop.
In fact, four-legged animals rarely get hemorrhoids.
Interestingly, this same pelvic structure change worked favorably for reproduction. Upright posture restructured the pelvis and changed the arrangement of reproductive organs.
This allowed humans to acquire an unusual trait among mammals. They became capable of reproduction year-round. In other words, sexual desire exists constantly.
In evolutionary biology, when gaining one function creates vulnerability in another, we call this a tradeoff.
Humanity gained improved reproductive capacity but took on the weakness of circulatory system burden.
This proverb perfectly captures this unavoidable physiological contradiction. Both phenomena originate from the same area: the pelvis.
This is the destiny all humans carry for choosing upright bipedal walking.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people liberation from perfectionism.
In today’s social media age, everyone tries to show only their “good side.” They display ideal lifestyles, noble thoughts, and healthy bodies.
But behind this superficial perfection, many people struggle with problems in isolation.
The desires and physical problems you carry are not shameful. They’re natural for any human being.
When you can accept your own imperfection, you become kinder to others’ weaknesses. When someone fails, gives in to desire, or gets sick, you can respond with understanding.
You can accept it as “something that happens to everyone.” This creates tolerance.
What matters isn’t hiding weakness. It’s having the wisdom to live with weakness.
Acknowledge that desires exist, then decide how to deal with them. Don’t feel ashamed of physical problems. Instead, care for them appropriately.
This proverb teaches the essence of living humanly, with humor mixed in. You don’t need to be perfect.
You are human enough just as you are.
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