How to Read “Even a beggar has a departure”
Kojiki ni mo kadode
Meaning of “Even a beggar has a departure”
“Even a beggar has a departure” means that even the poorest people care about appearances and keeping up dignity.
Even those facing economic hardship try to present themselves well when appearing in public or starting something new. They make an effort within their means to look presentable.
This proverb doesn’t criticize poverty. Instead, it recognizes the human desire for dignity.
Even when life is hard, people naturally care about how others see them. They want to appear decent and respectable. This is a normal human feeling.
Today, we use this saying to show that people care about social evaluation regardless of their economic situation.
Sometimes it gently mocks the act of keeping up appearances. Other times it expresses understanding for those trying to maintain dignity despite difficult circumstances.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records explain the origin of this proverb. However, we can learn much from examining its components.
“Kadode” originally meant leaving through the gate of one’s home to begin a journey.
Since the Heian period, Japanese people valued good omens and proper appearance when starting something new or departing on a trip.
At departure time, people of all social ranks dressed as well as they could before setting out.
The word “kojiki” sounds discriminatory today. But during the Edo period, it simply described extreme poverty as a common expression.
Even those at the lowest level of the social hierarchy tried to maintain appearances in public.
When heading to new places, they would mend torn clothes or wash their faces. They did whatever small things they could to look presentable.
This observation likely gave birth to the expression.
This proverb expresses humanity’s instinctive desire for dignity.
No matter how poor someone is, they remain conscious of others’ eyes. They want to present themselves without shame.
The proverb connects this universal human psychology with “kadode,” a turning point in life. This connection shows the deep insight behind these words.
Usage Examples
- Life is hard for him, yet he bought a new smartphone. Even a beggar has a departure, I guess.
- My friend works in homeless support. She says many people living on the streets care about grooming. It’s truly even a beggar has a departure.
Universal Wisdom
“Even a beggar has a departure” teaches us that the human desire for dignity goes beyond mere survival. It’s something essential to who we are.
Even when struggling to find food, people remain conscious of others’ eyes. Why is this?
It’s because humans are not just biological beings. We are social beings.
We recognize ourselves through relationships with others. We confirm our own value through recognition from others.
That’s why the wish to be “normal” and presentable never disappears, no matter how poor someone becomes.
This psychology sometimes seems irrational. Someone worries about tomorrow’s meal yet strains themselves for appearances.
But this isn’t simple vanity. It’s a desperate act to protect the last fortress of humanity.
It’s about maintaining the feeling that you’re still part of society.
Our ancestors didn’t mock this human psychology. They preserved it as a proverb.
They recognized the effort to maintain dignity amid poverty as a universal human trait.
This shows deep human understanding. Economic wealth and human value are separate things.
This proverb asks us important questions. What is true poverty? What is true wealth? And what is human dignity?
When AI Hears This
From a probability perspective, this proverb contains surprising mathematical truth.
Even if success probability is just 1 percent, with one attempt the expected value is 0.01. But with ten attempts, the probability of succeeding at least once jumps to about 9.6 percent.
In other words, no matter how unfavorable the situation, as long as there’s an opportunity for “departure,” the probability never becomes zero.
What’s more interesting is how this structure resembles compound interest calculations.
Even a 1 percent growth rate creates big changes when accumulated. Starting from poverty is certainly disadvantageous.
But mathematically, there’s an infinite difference between “starting from zero” and “starting from even slightly positive.”
Zero multiplied by anything stays zero. But 0.01 multiplied by the number of attempts always grows.
Modern venture capitalists say “fail fast but increase your attempts.” This reflects exactly this probabilistic thinking.
This proverb teaches not just human encouragement but also truth shown by cold mathematics.
Any small possibility can be amplified by the number of attempts through action. That’s the absolute law of probability.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people not to judge others’ actions superficially.
When someone economically struggling seems to keep up appearances, we shouldn’t criticize them easily.
Behind that behavior might be a desperate wish. They want to maintain connection with society. They want to protect their dignity as a human being.
At the same time, this proverb teaches kindness toward yourself.
Even if you’re in difficult circumstances, you don’t need to blame yourself for caring about appearances.
It’s a natural human emotion. It’s proof that you value your connection with society.
However, it’s also important not to lose sight of what matters by becoming too obsessed with appearances.
In modern society, we’ve entered an era where others’ eyes feel stronger through social media and other platforms.
Sometimes people push themselves too hard for appearances and end up cornering themselves.
What matters is balance. Balance between caring about appearances and accepting your actual situation.
Acknowledge your human emotions while not being controlled by them. Have the strength to stay grounded.
This proverb offers hints toward such a mature way of living.
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