How to Read “What you don’t have is money and monsters”
Nai mono wa kane to bakemono
Meaning of “What you don’t have is money and monsters”
“What you don’t have is money and monsters” refers to things that seem like they should exist but actually don’t. It’s an ironic expression pointing out that both money and monsters come up frequently in conversation, yet people rarely see them in real life.
This proverb is used when rumors and talk get ahead of reality. It applies to situations where “people say it exists, but no one has actually seen it” or “you hear about it, but it’s doubtful whether it’s really there.”
Even today, you can use this expression for baseless rumors, unrealistic plans, or unverifiable benefits. It’s especially fitting for things many people talk about but no one has actually confirmed.
The phrase carries sharp irony by pointing out the fictional nature of such things. The contrast between money and monsters, both lacking substance, gives the words their biting edge.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records explain the origin of this proverb. However, scholars believe it emerged among common people during the Edo period.
What’s interesting is how this saying pairs two seemingly unrelated things: money and monsters. Yet for people back then, these shared a common trait. Both were “talked about by everyone but never actually seen.”
For Edo-period commoners, large sums of money were objects of longing. Words like “thousand-ryo chest” and “gold coins” appeared in daily conversation, but few people actually handled such wealth.
Meanwhile, monsters were popular subjects in ghost stories, yet no one had actually encountered one. Both shared the quality of being “heard about in rumors but lacking substance.”
This phrase contains the ironic perspective of Edo commoners. Stories about the wealthy and supernatural tales flew around, but these things remained distant from ordinary people’s lives.
The saying expresses this reality with humor. The structure itself cleverly shows both the resignation and wit of common folk.
Usage Examples
- That company’s great job posting? Nobody who applies gets a response. What you don’t have is money and monsters, right?
- Profitable investment opportunities are what you don’t have is money and monsters, so don’t believe them easily.
Universal Wisdom
“What you don’t have is money and monsters” sharply identifies a fundamental human trait. Things without substance tend to spark people’s imagination and become topics of conversation.
Why do people eagerly discuss things they’ve never actually seen? Uncertain things leave room for imagination. They’re easy to project our desires and fears onto.
Stories about obtaining great wealth inflate our dreams. Monster tales stimulate our fear. Because neither involves actual experience, the stories grow with embellishments.
This phenomenon transcends time. Even today, unverified information spreads easily. “Success formulas” and “dangerous stories” that no one has actually experienced keep emerging.
Humans are fundamentally fascinated by the invisible.
Our ancestors understood this human nature. That’s why they used the perfect combination of “money and monsters” to warn against insubstantial talk.
This proverb contains universal wisdom: don’t be swayed by rumors, and develop eyes that see reality clearly. The ability to distinguish what’s real from what’s fiction behind people’s glamorous stories is a skill needed in every era.
When AI Hears This
The human brain excels at processing what’s in front of it. But recognizing “what isn’t there” requires special cognitive cost.
For example, when you open the refrigerator, you instantly grasp what food is there. But noticing “there’s no milk” requires additional processing to compare with memory.
This work of recognizing “absence” burdens the brain heavily. Paradoxically, this makes it stick strongly in consciousness. This is absence salience bias.
What’s fascinating about this proverb is how it pairs two types of “absence.” Money exists as a material thing, but here it refers to the abstract lack of “not having enough money.”
Monsters, on the other hand, are imaginary beings that never existed in the first place. In other words, it treats “the absence of something that should exist in reality” and “the non-existence of something imaginary” as equivalent.
Cognitively speaking, humans should distinguish between these two. Yet Japanese speakers process both with the same word: “nai” (not there).
Moreover, both catch consciousness in the same way as “nowhere to be found.” This proverb shows that when the human cognitive system detects “absence,” it doesn’t distinguish the type of absence.
It simply processes everything as “a gap between expectation and reality.” For the brain, the ontological category matters less than “the state of absence” itself.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches us the importance of not taking information at face value. In an age when countless pieces of information fly around on the internet and social media, “everyone is saying it” and “it’s actually true” are completely different matters.
We especially need to be skeptical of attractive stories. Easy ways to make money, success secrets anyone can use, information you’ll regret not knowing.
Such stories spread because they stimulate people’s desires. But whether they have substance is another question entirely.
So what should we do? The key is developing the habit of asking “Has anyone actually verified this?” and “Is there concrete evidence?”
Go to primary sources, not rumors or hearsay. Don’t assume something is true just because many people are talking about it.
This proverb encourages you to maintain healthy skepticism. This doesn’t mean becoming cynical. It means having the attitude to verify things with your own eyes and ears.
Don’t get swept up in insubstantial talk. Keep your feet on the ground. This ancient saying still teaches us this wisdom today.
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