The Philosopher Who Attempted to Overthrow The Japanese Army -- How Philosophy Can Be Practical
Updated: Oct 11
Article Synopsis By Ms. Gabbi Grace
The article "The Philosopher Who Attempted to Overthrow The Japanese Army - How Philosophy Can Be Practical" is an engaging exploration of Yukio Mishima's life and actions, emphasizing the practical application of philosophy through his extreme actions.
The narrative is well-structured, guiding readers through Mishima's motivations, actions, and ultimate demise. The central thesis, that philosophy can be practical, is clearly articulated, and the article effectively supports this point by detailing Mishima's attempts to put his philosophical beliefs into action.
The historical context of Mishima's life, creation of the Shield Society, and ultimate goal of restoring Japan to its imperial glory helps readers understand the complexity of his character and philosophical stance. The balanced perspective acknowledges Mishima's controversial nature, allowing readers to form their own opinions about him.
The article uses sources such as the BBC and Wikiwand, with feedback from Ms. Tamara Moskal adding depth and a scholarly viewpoint.
Overall, the article is a fascinating and well-researched piece that vividly illustrates how philosophical ideas can translate into real-world actions.
Part I: Standing Up From the Armchair
In practice, most philosophers are armchair philosophers; thinkers who merely philosophize without doing anything else that is necessarily revolutionary or extreme.
One of the few philosophers who was not an armchair philosopher was one of the greatest Japanese authors of the 20th century, Yukio Mishima. Mishima was an exceptional writer and traditionalist who was strong-willed enough to attempt an overthrow of the Japanese military, the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF).
(Not to be confused with any Mishimas of the Tekken video game series, which I covered).
The point of this article is to present to you an example of what happens when a philosopher no longer remains an armchair, or in other words -- puts his or her ideas into practice and not just creates and discusses them. It's an example as to how philosophy can indeed be practical, and not only theoretical. And thus, those who claim that philosophy is entirely impractical, may be unaware of examples such as this. This article is also another example to this claim (although quite dark). The communist revolution in Russia is another example which is classic in comparison.
Part II: Author, Deep Thinker, Paramilitary Leader
Anyways, Mishima was seriously convinced that Japan needed to "be great again."
He established a small paramilitary force, known in English as the Shield Society, and infiltrated a major military base in Tokyo. His private army, which consisted of around 90 to100 uniform-wearing martial artists, was determined to fight against the threats of modernity to Japanese society after the Empire's defeat in World War II: democracy, leftist ideologies, and the influence of the West, mainly represented by the successful American occupation of Japan, which created its newer constitution.
The Failed Speech
Mishima was a controversial figure primarily because of his coup d'état attempt, in which he committed seppuku, a samurai-based form of suicide.
Before then, he went to the masses who had gathered around the infiltrated base and delivered a speech that was met with great failure due to the difficulty of hearing a person without proper audio equipment. His speech was not understood by many, and was even interrupted by the audience and by the helicopters that flew above him.
In his speech, he expressed his deep desire to restore Japan to its former glory, where it would be a thriving empire, led by a divine emperor, with a strong military, capable of both offense and defense, and finally, to bring back the values of the samurai warriors, otherwise known as the Bushido philosophy.
Mishima's coup d'état attempt failed miserably, and he and four of his followers committed suicide. However, his actions have continued to be debated and analyzed by historians and scholars for decades. Mishima was a complex and contradictory figure, and his legacy is still being debated today.
Part III: Critique of Mishima's Political Philosophy and Its Execution
By today's standards, he was an extremist. It would only be natural to see him as such through the eyes of the 21st century, simply because nowadays the world is mostly run by democracies, and imperialism is seen as worthy of condemnation of any kind.
However, like Socrates, Mishima was strong-willed enough to die for his imperialist ideology if it meant he would die an honorable death in the name of the spirit of Japan. That was even though, the days of the samurai were long gone and irrelevant.
In a way, Mishima was very radical, a right-wing imperialist, and a fascist. When some people claim that leftism is not a good ideology, what they fail to realize is that the contemporary world is largely leftist in essence, and that even includes contemporary conservative philosophies.
Democracy, globalism, free speech, fair elections, and civil rights -- all, in essence, leftist values. A "traditional" right-winger would be one that would put tradition and personal sacrifice over anything else, as liberty is, ultimately, a leftist notion.
Mishima was and is a highly controversial figure not only because he was willing to commit suicide after failing to overthrow his country's military, but also because he was, so to speak, a true right-winger.
He opposed democracy, supported imperialism, and wished for Japan to be ruled by a totalitarian regime, which would oppose both foreign influence and the notion of globalism.
His hatred towards the West, and love of tradition were the catalysts for one of Japan's most bizarre attempts at rebellion, which eventually led to his suicide.
The Philosophy of his Personal Army of Followers
He shaped his private army, the Shield Society, in his own image. He would train them to be as fit as possible, as he wanted to be himself, and he would not equip them with modern weaponry such as guns. Instead, he would teach them martial arts and sword fighting.
The Shield Society soldier was a heavily fit, heavily disciplined volunteer who would seek to sacrifice his own life in order to protect the Emperor, if such an opportunity should ever arise.
He is merely a protector of traditional values, which he would seek to restore by overthrowing the JDSF, a military entity compromised by foreign influence.
Mishima was never really a military man. He was an intellectual who would write countless literary works and even work as an actor to make a living.
He had a very strict training regime, since he wished to be as muscular as he could, and even managed to avoid the draft in World War II because a medical staff misdiagnosed him while he had a cold.
Nevertheless, his lack of military expertise did not stop him from forming his own paramilitary force and invading a major military facility with a relative degree of success.
Intermission: Relations to Other Contexts
He really does remind me of former president Donald Trump, but the main difference between them is that Mishima did not want to rule for himself, and was opposed to democracy, as written before.
Another difference is that Trump did not approve nor devised of the insurrection that occurred in Washington, D.C., after Biden was elected.
Mishima merely wanted to overthrow the military so he would be able to restore his country to its pre-World War II days, before the atomic bombings, before the American invasion, and before the rise of communism in places such as China, the Soviet Union, and North Korea.
(More on North Korea, here)
Conclusions
Ultimately, Mishima didn't want to die old, and perhaps he was afraid of it as well. He wanted to die young because he wished to be killed for a bigger purpose than himself, whether that death would be in battle or through seppuku.
Seppuku,is a very, very painful way to die, and in the days of the samurai, it was deemed honorable to do so in order to cover up shame such as defeat, failure, or captivity.
Had he not killed himself, he might've been imprisoned for the rest of his life, and marked as a fascist terrorist, along with his troops.
The Concluding Question
Is it worthy to use one's philosophy to practice? That depends on your goals, on the likelihood of you succeeding, and on whatever is at stake. That may sometimes include your and/or other people's lives.
Given Mishima's example, we can learn that, perhaps, our vision doesn't always come into fruition. After all, even if that plan is for the greater good, both its execution and its aftermath could shoot us in the foot. In turn, this could cause unnecessary suffering, grief and trauma in our world.
Handle your plans successfully and responsibly, and consider the idea of not implementing them at all. It is often good to choose nothing over something you and others will regret later on.
Enjoy the sources:
Ms. Tamara Moskal's Feedback
"We live in an age in which there is no heroic death." These were the words of Yukio Mashima, an iconic and controversial Japanese writer, playwright, and poet, a three-time candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature he never won.
He was also an actor, model, bodybuilder, martial artist, and the leader of an ultra-right militia of young men devoted to protecting the Emperor and the old ways of imperial Japan. On November 25, 1970, Mashima performed seppuku, similar to a samurai, after his speech failed to motivate soldiers to join him in the coup d'etat.
He idealized heroic death for a greater purpose, which became his obsession and led to his suicide.
Mashima left a rich literary legacy, including romantic, psychological, philosophical, and political explorations. However, was he more of a philosopher or an ideologist? What's the difference between these two concepts? Ideology shapes a person's or a group's worldview around political, social, or economic systems and can be influenced by cultural, religious, or historical factors. In contrast, philosophy is a broader, abstract discipline that seeks answers to fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, ethics, and reality.
Yukio Mishima sought forcefully to restore the traditional, divine Emperor's power in Japan, which can be considered an ideology. Yet, he was also motivated by the personal need for a higher purpose and recognition.
In the philosophical book "Sun and Steel," Mishima describes his radical idea of physical beauty in balance with the mind, which is sculptured by the stoic pain of rigorous training.
He regarded a strong physique not as a display of vanity or health but as a necessity in preparation for a privileged, honorable death.
For some, Yukio Mishima might be a nostalgic reminiscence of the last samurai, a romantic idea of a warrior following the Bushido code of honor. Yet, we shouldn't forget that he was also a dangerous, fascistic ideologist whose ideas were outdated, lacked a vision for progress, and a glorified death cult.
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