How to Read “A farmer’s talk of poor harvest and a merchant’s talk of losses”
Hyakushō no fusaku banashi to akindo no son banashi
Meaning of “A farmer’s talk of poor harvest and a merchant’s talk of losses”
This proverb describes people who twist the truth to suit their own interests. Farmers claim poor harvests even in good years, and merchants claim losses even when making profits.
It points out how people tend to distort reality to gain advantages for themselves.
You’ll hear this when someone makes their situation sound worse than it really is. They might be seeking sympathy, trying to reduce their responsibilities, or avoiding obligations.
The saying suggests you shouldn’t take such complaints at face value. Instead, look for the hidden motives behind the words.
Even today, many people exaggerate their struggles or pretend to be worse off than they are. This proverb teaches us the wisdom to see through such human tendencies with a clear eye.
Origin and Etymology
The exact literary origin of this proverb is unclear. However, it likely emerged during the Edo period’s commercial society.
The structure is interesting because it pairs two contrasting professions: farmers and merchants. These were the two major occupations of that era.
For farmers, poor harvests meant life or death. Yet even in good years, they would claim “this year was bad” to reduce their tax burden or keep rice prices high.
Merchants, meanwhile, would claim losses even when profitable. This helped them negotiate better terms with trading partners.
Both professions shared a common psychology: making your situation look worse to gain benefits. Edo period people keenly observed these occupational “habits.”
Farmers and merchants each developed these patterns as survival wisdom. This proverb cleverly captures their tendency to create self-serving narratives.
Among common people of the time, skepticism toward these “standard excuses” crystallized into this proverb. It reflects both irony and wariness.
Interesting Facts
During the Edo period, entire villages reported harvest amounts together. This made collective claims of “poor harvest” a survival strategy for farmers.
The gap between actual and reported harvests became “hidden fields.” This served as wisdom for preparing against famine.
Merchants’ “loss talk” wasn’t simply lying either. It was socially recognized as part of business negotiation.
Edo merchants also had another saying: “Lose to gain.” They understood well that surface losses and actual profits could differ greatly.
Usage Examples
- He always says he’s busy, but that’s just a farmer’s talk of poor harvest and a merchant’s talk of losses—he’s probably quite free
- That company president’s talk of operating in the red is a farmer’s talk of poor harvest and a merchant’s talk of losses—they’re surely making good profits
Universal Wisdom
This proverb teaches us a truth about human nature. People have an instinct to reshape reality in self-protective ways.
Why do people behave like this? It comes from lived experience that honesty doesn’t always serve one’s interests.
Farmers and merchants weren’t villains. They needed to speak strategically about their situations to survive.
Heavy taxes, fierce business competition—in such environments, people naturally develop self-defensive ways of speaking. Modern people do the same.
We present ourselves favorably in job interviews. We curate perfect lives on social media. The root psychology is identical.
What’s fascinating is that this proverb doesn’t simply criticize liars. It contains a sense of acceptance—”that’s just how things are.”
Our ancestors knew how difficult complete honesty could be. That’s why they taught the importance of not taking words at face value.
Instead, read the background circumstances and intentions behind them. This shows deep insight into human relationships.
It represents an attitude of understanding rather than blaming others.
When AI Hears This
Farmers say “this year was bad,” merchants say “we lost money.” From an information theory perspective, this behavior reveals remarkably rational strategy.
Information asymmetry means one party in a transaction holds important information the other doesn’t. Farmers know their harvest amounts, but buyers don’t.
Merchants know their profits, but sellers don’t. When this information gap exists, the informed party can “deliberately spread bad news” to extract favorable terms.
What’s interesting is this functions not as simple lying but as “credible signaling.” Farmers who claim poor harvests every year aren’t liars because some years really are bad.
By repeatedly sending unverifiable information, they create a smokescreen that clouds others’ judgment. Behavioral economics calls this “strategic ambiguity.”
Even more fascinating: when this signal becomes socially shared, a paradoxical decoding emerges. “Those who complain most actually have the most cushion.”
Edo period people read not surface words but meta-information—who says what in which situations. This has the same essential structure as modern SNS, where people who post “so busy” often have the most free time.
Information warfare is won not by word meanings but by transmission patterns.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches you the importance of “healthy skepticism” when listening to others. When someone describes their hardships, you don’t need to completely dismiss them.
But you should develop the habit of considering the intentions and context behind their words.
In business and negotiations especially, you need the ability to see through words to underlying truths. Is “we have no budget” or “we have no time” a real constraint?
Or is it a tactic to gain negotiating advantage? You must make that judgment.
At the same time, this proverb serves as a warning to yourself. Are you unconsciously engaging in your own “poor harvest talk” or “loss talk”?
Check whether exaggeration or distortion for self-protection has become a habit.
Most importantly, appreciate the depth of human understanding this proverb teaches. People aren’t perfect—they sometimes speak self-servingly.
Starting from that premise, still understand others and maintain appropriate distance. The wisdom for building such mature relationships is embedded here.
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