How to Read “If it’s fashionable, even sore eyes are good”
Hayarime nara yamime demo yoi
Meaning of “If it’s fashionable, even sore eyes are good”
This proverb expresses people’s obsession with trends. If something is popular, they don’t mind its flaws or problems.
Originally, this saying pointed out a human tendency. When something becomes trendy, people accept it without question, even if it has real problems or defects.
The proverb shows how trends can dull our judgment. The strong influence of what’s popular can weaken our ability to think critically.
People use this saying when they want to question something everyone is excited about. It offers a calm, skeptical perspective.
You can also use it as a warning to yourself. It helps when you feel yourself getting swept up in a trend without thinking.
This proverb still applies today. Think about how people rush to buy products that go viral on social media.
Or consider how shallow content gets consumed just because it’s trending. Human nature hasn’t changed.
The saying captures two sides of trends. It shows their magical appeal and warns us about their dangers.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records explain where this proverb came from. However, the structure of the words themselves tells an interesting story.
The term “hayarime” has two overlapping meanings. First, it literally means “something that is trending” or “in fashion.”
Second, “hayarime” is also the name of an eye disease. In modern terms, it’s epidemic keratoconjunctivitis.
This eye disease was well known in the Edo period. It spread easily from person to person. When it broke out, many people would catch it.
The word “yamime” means diseased eyes or eye problems in general. This is where the wordplay becomes clever.
“Hayarime” as an eye disease is certainly a type of “yamime.” But the word also means “trending” or “fashionable.”
The proverb uses this double meaning brilliantly. It suggests that if something is popular, people will accept it even if it’s actually harmful, like a disease.
Scholars believe the saying started as satire. It mocked how obsessed people were with following trends during the Edo period.
In Edo-era common culture, keeping up with trends was a major concern. People took fashion and popular culture very seriously.
By comparing trend-chasing to accepting an eye disease, the proverb makes its point with humor. That’s what makes it memorable.
Usage Examples
- That restaurant’s food is just average, but there’s a long line as if it’s fashionable, even sore eyes are good
- The new product apparently has functional problems, but many people seem to think if it’s fashionable, even sore eyes are good
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has survived because it understands something deep about human nature. It taps into our fundamental desire to belong and our fear of being left behind.
We like to think humans make rational decisions. But in reality, emotions and social pressure heavily influence us.
Trends act like a mirror reflecting our true nature. When everyone around us gets excited about something, we unconsciously feel pressure.
We think, “I need to join in too.” Often we act before we can calmly judge whether something truly has value.
The proverb shows us this human weakness. But it also shows something endearing about us.
We can’t make perfect judgments. Sometimes we ride the wave of trends. Sometimes we fail. But we keep living.
Our ancestors watched this human pattern unfold. They left us these words with a gaze that was both strict and warm.
Following trends isn’t necessarily bad. It can enrich your life and help you connect with others.
But this proverb warns us not to abandon our own judgment. That warning echoes across time, speaking to every generation.
When AI Hears This
Every infectious disease outbreak has a “peak.” The social costs people experience change dramatically before and after this peak.
In the early stage, when 10 out of 100 people are infected, sick people are the minority. They receive sympathy and can easily take time off.
But at the peak, when 70 out of 100 are infected, sick people become the majority. Social functions themselves break down.
Epidemiological “epidemic curves” show something interesting. The disadvantages individuals face can vary by more than three times depending on infection timing.
Early infected people access medical resources more easily. After recovery, they become valuable “functioning personnel” with immunity.
Late-stage infected people receive treatment in an already exhausted healthcare system. When they recover, everyone around them already has immunity.
What’s fascinating is that this proverb contains probabilistic resignation. It suggests “if you’re going to catch it anyway.”
In infection network theory, diseases with a basic reproduction number above 1 eventually reach most of the population.
When you can choose “when to catch it” but not “whether to catch it,” early infection becomes a rational strategy.
Edo-period people understood this without equations. They grasped both the “inevitability of infection” and the “importance of timing.”
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches us how to approach trends in modern life. It’s about finding the right mindset.
Enjoying trends enriches your life. Experiencing new things and sharing common topics with others matters in social life.
But you shouldn’t forget to maintain your own values and judgment standards. Both things are important.
The key is understanding the difference between riding a trend and being swept away by it.
Choosing to participate yourself is completely different from just following the crowd. The same action can have totally different meanings.
Don’t act “because everyone’s doing it.” Instead, think “because I want to enjoy this too.” That sense of agency matters.
Today, social media makes trend waves faster and stronger than ever before. That’s why we need courage to pause and think.
Ask yourself: Does this truly have value for me? Take a breath before answering.
Whether you chase trends or keep your distance, neither choice is wrong. What matters is whether your choice truly comes from your own will.
Check in with yourself from time to time. That’s the message this proverb gently yet firmly tries to convey to us.
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