How to Read “Self-satisfaction makes others laugh”
Hitori yogari no hito warawase
Meaning of “Self-satisfaction makes others laugh”
This proverb shows a truth about human relationships. When someone firmly believes their way is right, others often see it as completely off the mark and even ridiculous.
The person is completely serious and confident in their thoughts and actions. But to everyone around them, it seems foolish and makes them want to laugh.
This expression fits situations where there’s a big gap between how someone sees themselves and how others see them.
Even today, this happens all the time. Someone posts something on social media thinking it’s impressive, but others view it coldly. Or someone confidently proposes an idea in a meeting that completely misses the point.
The bigger the gap between the person’s enthusiasm and everyone else’s reaction, the more this proverb applies.
What’s important is that the person has no bad intentions. They actually think they’re doing something good. That’s why others feel exasperated but can’t really hate them for it.
Origin and Etymology
The exact first written appearance of this proverb is unclear. However, based on its structure, people likely used it during the Edo period.
“Hitori yogari” means being the only one who thinks something is good. The word “yogari” can also be written as “yigari.” It describes someone who considers themselves right, lost in self-satisfaction.
The phrase “hito warawase” follows, creating a vivid picture. The person is serious, but others find them comical. This captures the disconnect in how people perceive each other.
The expression “hito warawase” is particularly interesting. It doesn’t mean “making people laugh” on purpose. Instead, it means “being laughed at” by others.
The person has no intention of being funny. Yet they end up making everyone laugh anyway. This ironic structure gives the proverb its unique flavor.
During the Edo period, townspeople’s culture often turned the gap between self-perception and others’ views into comedy. Rakugo storytelling and senryu poetry frequently featured self-absorbed characters who made audiences laugh.
This proverb emerged from common people’s sharp observations. It represents a crystallization of human insight.
Usage Examples
- He seems confident about his fashion sense, but from everyone else’s view, it’s self-satisfaction makes others laugh
- He thinks that proposal is innovative, but I hope it doesn’t become self-satisfaction makes others laugh
Universal Wisdom
“Self-satisfaction makes others laugh” points to a fundamental blind spot in human nature. We can only see the world through our own eyes.
Our values, sense of beauty, and sense of justice feel absolute to us. But others also see the world through their own eyes, with their own perspectives.
This proverb has been passed down for generations because this gap in perception is an eternal theme in human society.
No matter how much knowledge we gain or how much technology advances, we can never be completely free from our own subjectivity. In fact, when we’re most certain we’re right, we’re often in the greatest danger of being self-absorbed.
What’s interesting is that this proverb isn’t just criticism. It contains a warm view of humanity.
The expression “makes others laugh” doesn’t suggest mockery. It has more of a wry smile to it. We all sometimes become self-absorbed and look foolish to those around us.
This is an unavoidable part of being human.
Our ancestors understood this essential truth about people. Perfect objectivity doesn’t exist. That’s exactly why we need humility and why it’s important to listen to others’ perspectives.
This proverb quietly tells us this lesson.
When AI Hears This
In information theory, messages don’t transmit correctly unless the sender and receiver share the same “codebook.” A self-satisfied person gets laughed at because they’re sending a signal saying “this is wonderful.”
But everyone around them is using a completely different codebook and decoding it as “this is ridiculous.”
What’s interesting is that this mismatch isn’t just a simple misunderstanding. It increases information entropy, or uncertainty.
The person has 100 percent confidence in their actions. In other words, for them, information uncertainty is zero. But everyone around them is filled with questions like “why is this person doing this?”
Their uncertainty becomes maximized. The size of this information gap is proportional to the intensity of the laughter.
What makes it worse is the lack of a feedback loop. Communication systems normally have error detection functions that can correct code mismatches.
But the self-satisfied person misinterprets the laughter around them as “sympathetic laughter.” In other words, they mistake noise (negative laughter) for signal (positive response).
The codebook mismatch grows even larger. This self-reinforcing misperception is the mechanism that makes communication failure permanent.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people about the danger of judging things from only your own perspective. In an age where social media has developed and anyone can express their opinions, this lesson carries even more weight.
Practically speaking, it’s important to develop the habit of asking trusted people for honest opinions before making important decisions.
Especially when you feel strong confidence, you need the courage to stop and ask yourself, “Is this self-satisfaction?”
However, this proverb isn’t recommending that you worry too much about what others think. Rather, it teaches the importance of holding your beliefs while maintaining humility that they’re not absolute.
Listen to how others respond, but stick to what’s truly important. This sense of balance is the mark of a mature adult.
Your passion and beliefs are wonderful things. You don’t need to lose them. Just stop occasionally and look at things from a different angle.
That flexibility will make your ideas richer and help them reach more people.
Comments