How to Read “Another’s empty words are my empty words”
Hito no soragoto wa waga soragoto
Meaning of “Another’s empty words are my empty words”
“Another’s empty words are my empty words” means you shouldn’t pay attention to other people’s nonsense or slander. It’s best not to let such words bother you.
In life, people sometimes face baseless rumors, insults, or irresponsible criticism. When this happens, we tend to take these words seriously and feel hurt, angry, or defensive.
However, this proverb offers a different perspective. The groundless words that others speak are just as empty as the groundless words you might speak. They’re nothing but “empty words” without substance.
The reason to use this proverb is to recognize how foolish it is to be controlled by meaningless words. When you let someone’s empty words disturb your peace of mind, you’re treating those empty words as truth.
Even today, we face many situations involving baseless words. Online harassment, workplace gossip, and social media attacks are common examples.
In such moments, repeating “Another’s empty words are my empty words” in your mind can help you regain composure. It lets you focus on what truly matters.
Origin and Etymology
No clear historical records document the origin of this proverb. However, the structure of the phrase offers interesting insights.
The word “soragoto” (empty words) has existed in Japanese since ancient times. It means words without basis, lies, or nonsense.
The character “sora” (empty) carries the meaning of “having no content” or “lacking substance.” Empty words literally means “words with no content.”
The distinctive structure of this proverb connects “another’s empty words” with “my empty words” as equals. It contains the insight that baseless words from others are essentially the same as baseless words from yourself.
During the Edo period, common people faced daily problems with rumors, gossip, and baseless slander. Living in tight-knit communities required wisdom.
People recognized the importance of not being overly affected by others’ irresponsible words. This was practical knowledge for survival.
“Another’s empty words are my empty words” conveys the pointlessness of worrying too much about others’ words. The expression is both simple and memorable.
Since both others’ empty words and your own empty words equally lack substance, there’s no need to worry about them. This reflects a detached, philosophical view of life.
Usage Examples
- That person’s insults are just another’s empty words are my empty words, so I’ll ignore them and focus on my work
- I was depressed by cruel online comments, but thinking another’s empty words are my empty words made me feel better
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “Another’s empty words are my empty words” contains deep insight into how the human mind works.
We react surprisingly sensitively to other people’s words, especially criticism or slander directed at us. A single insult can stick in our minds for days and keep us awake at night.
Why are humans so influenced by others’ words?
It’s because humans are social creatures. For our ancestors living in groups, the evaluation of fellow group members was directly connected to survival.
That’s why the tendency to care about others’ words is encoded in our genes.
However, the wise people behind this proverb saw one step further into the truth. While caring about others’ words is a natural response, whether those words have substance is a separate question.
Words without basis are empty no matter who speaks them. Being captivated by such words means you yourself are giving value to something empty.
This proverb has been passed down through generations because people have always been troubled by others’ words. They’ve always needed wisdom to become free from that trouble.
Even as times change, rumors and slander continue to exist in different forms. That’s why this calm perspective of treating insubstantial things as insubstantial continues to hold value today.
When AI Hears This
People who harshly condemn others’ lies tend to lie easily themselves. This is a phenomenon psychology calls “projection.”
It’s an unconscious mechanism where people identify and criticize traits in others that they refuse to acknowledge in themselves. This resolves their internal contradictions.
For example, a partner who constantly suspects infidelity may actually be the one having an affair. The contradiction between “I should be faithful” and “I’m having an affair” causes cognitive dissonance.
This dissonance is painful, so they suspect their partner instead. By creating a structure where “the other person is bad,” they maintain psychological stability. This is a defense mechanism.
What’s interesting is that this projection mechanism involves a lack of self-awareness. According to Freud’s research, people underestimate their own flaws by about 70 percent.
Meanwhile, they overestimate the same flaws in others by 150 percent. In other words, people harsh toward others’ empty words justify their own empty words with “I have unavoidable circumstances.”
Yet they judge others as “unforgivable liars” with more than double the severity.
This proverb suggests that the act of criticism is actually a mirror reflecting yourself. The intensity of your anger toward others is proportional to the darkness of your own suppressed shadow.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern people is how to use your mental energy.
Our minds have limits. The emotional energy we can use in a day, our thinking power, and our capacity to care all have upper limits.
Isn’t it a terrible waste to spend such precious mental resources on words without basis?
In modern society, we encounter empty words far more often than in the past. Social media comments, workplace gossip, and rumors among friends are everywhere.
If you react to everything, your mind will become exhausted. That’s why you need the ability to recognize “this is an empty word.”
Specifically, when someone’s words hurt you, pause and think. Do those words have concrete basis? Do they contain constructive content?
If the answer is “no,” then they’re empty words. They’re not worth disturbing your peace of mind.
Use your mental energy for people who truly care about you. Use it for your own growth. Use it for things you’re passionate about.
Having the strength not to let empty words capture your heart is the first step toward a fulfilling life.
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