How to Read “It’s because bad people exist that good people stand out”
Akunin areba koso zennin mo arawareru
Meaning of “It’s because bad people exist that good people stand out”
This proverb means that good people’s value becomes clear because bad people exist. If there were no bad people in the world, good people’s actions would seem ordinary and we’d overlook them.
But because some people do bad things, those who do good things really shine. Their kindness becomes much more noticeable.
For example, imagine everyone around you acts selfishly. If someone acts kindly in that situation, their kindness really stands out. It shines brightly.
On the other hand, if everyone is kind, one person’s kindness doesn’t seem as special. It just blends in with everything else.
This proverb teaches us that we understand value through contrast. It’s not saying bad people are good. Instead, it observes how we recognize goodness in a world where both good and bad exist.
Origin and Etymology
There’s no clear written record of where this proverb came from. But experts believe it was influenced by Buddhist thinking.
Buddhism has an idea called “relative worldview.” This means we can only recognize things when their opposites exist. We understand light because darkness exists. We understand darkness because light exists.
The same goes for good and bad. We understand good because bad exists. And bad helps us see how precious good really is.
Japanese culture has long valued this idea that contrast reveals truth. In traditional poetry like waka and haiku, poets often put opposite things together to make each one stand out more.
The word “arawareru” (stand out) in this proverb is important. It doesn’t just mean “exist.” It means “become visible” or “become clear.”
Good people were always there. But they only become visible to others when bad people exist too. This shows a deep understanding of how we see the world.
This proverb likely came from mixing Buddhist ideas about opposites with Japanese artistic values.
Usage Examples
- That person’s honesty really shines because so many people around them lie. It’s because bad people exist that good people stand out.
- In an industry full of cheating, his honest work gets noticed. I guess it’s because bad people exist that good people stand out.
Universal Wisdom
This proverb teaches a universal truth: humans understand value through contrast. We think we judge good and bad by absolute standards. But actually, we measure value by comparing things around us.
Why has this proverb lasted so long? Because it accepts that evil will never completely disappear from human society. Yet it still finds hope in that reality.
Instead of just complaining about evil, this proverb offers a different view. Evil makes good clearer. This perspective gives us strength to live without falling into despair.
The proverb also shows the limits of human awareness. Without change or difference, we can’t notice what’s valuable. We take air for granted every day.
We only realize how important air is when we start to lose it. Similarly, we only feel how precious goodness is when we see it contrasted with evil.
Think even deeper. This proverb helps us balance our dreams of a “perfect world” with reality. We can chase ideals while still finding meaning in our imperfect world.
This short saying beautifully captures the essence of how humans live.
When AI Hears This
In information theory, signals can only be recognized when they differ from the background. For example, you can’t read white letters on white paper. Black letters make the white background stand out, and the letters become readable information.
This means information needs contrast to exist.
The relationship between good and bad in this proverb follows the same principle. If everyone in the world acted exactly the same, we couldn’t call it good or bad. Why? Because there’d be nothing to compare it to.
For “good person” to mean anything as information, “bad person” must exist as a contrast. In other words, good and bad can’t be defined alone. They only appear as relative differences.
What’s interesting is that this structure is a mathematical necessity, beyond human judgment. Just like digital signals need both 0 and 1, a system that transmits “good” as information must include “bad” as the opposite.
We often think ethics and morals are subjective things humans created. But actually, they’re controlled by universal laws for recognizing information.
Complaining about bad people existing might be like complaining about black ink existing. Without it, we couldn’t read the word “good” at all.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches us that we can find meaning in goodness precisely because our world is imperfect. Open social media and you’ll see unfair news and cruel words everywhere.
But in times like these, small acts of kindness and honest actions shine brighter than ever before.
If there’s an unreasonable person around you, it’s not all bad luck. Because that person exists, your honesty and kindness reach other people more easily. It’s important to hate evil.
But it’s also important to recognize the value of people who stay good in a world where evil exists.
This proverb also teaches humility. When you think you’re a good person, maybe you only look that way compared to people around you. In a different environment, your weaknesses might show.
The key isn’t to dream of a perfect world and then despair at reality. Instead, find the value of goodness in an imperfect world and cherish it.
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