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Discourse on Decadence
Sakaguchi Ango's "Discourse on Decadence" (Daraku-ron) is a provocative and influential essay that challenges conventional morality and offers a radical perspective on post-war Japanese society. Written in 1946, this seminal work explores the liberating potential of "decadence" and argues for embracing human desires and imperfections as a path to authentic living. With its bold ideas and captivating prose, Ango's essay continues to intrigue readers and spark debates about individuality, social norms, and the nature of human existence in times of upheaval.
Sakaguchi Ango's "Discourse on Decadence" (Daraku-ron) was published in April 1946, immediately after World War II, against the backdrop of chaos and the collapse of values in Japanese society.
At this time, Japan was
The breakdown of social order following defeat in the war.
A significant shaking of previously held moral and ethical values.
A forced, rapid shift from wartime ideologies.
Faced with this turbulent era, Ango deeply contemplated the essence of human nature. He observed the dramatically changed social conditions before and after the war, exploring the concept of inherent "decadence" in human nature.
The core of Ango's argument lies in the following
The insight that humans inherently possess a nature of "decadence."
The idea that people don't become decadent because they lost the war, but that decadence is an essential part of human nature.
The recognition that humans are contradictory beings who can never fully succumb to decadence.
"Discourse on Decadence" provided a new perspective for post-war Japanese people, prompting a fundamental reconsideration of conventional morals and values. Through this work, Ango encouraged readers to confront the essential nature of humanity and explore new ways of living in a new era.
Sakaguchi Ango's "Discourse on Decadence" (Daraku-ron) was published in April 1946, immediately after World War II, against the backdrop of chaos and the collapse of values in Japanese society.
At this time, Japan was
The breakdown of social order following defeat in the war.
A significant shaking of previously held moral and ethical values.
A forced, rapid shift from wartime ideologies.
Faced with this turbulent era, Ango deeply contemplated the essence of human nature. He observed the dramatically changed social conditions before and after the war, exploring the concept of inherent "decadence" in human nature.
The core of Ango's argument lies in the following
The insight that humans inherently possess a nature of "decadence."
The idea that people don't become decadent because they lost the war, but that decadence is an essential part of human nature.
The recognition that humans are contradictory beings who can never fully succumb to decadence.
"Discourse on Decadence" provided a new perspective for post-war Japanese people, prompting a fundamental reconsideration of conventional morals and values. Through this work, Ango encouraged readers to confront the essential nature of humanity and explore new ways of living in a new era.
6 pages, Unknown Binding
First published April 1, 1946
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370 people want to read
About the author
Ango Sakaguchi
612 books133 followersFrom Niigata, Sakaguchi (坂口安吾) was one of a group of young Japanese writers to rise to prominence in the years immediately following Japan's defeat in World War II. In 1946 he wrote his most famous essay, titled "Darakuron" ("On Decadence"), which examined the role of bushido during the war. It is widely argued that he saw postwar Japan as decadent, yet more truthful than a wartime Japan built on illusions like bushido.
Ango was born in 1906, and was the 12th child of 13. He was born in the middle of a Japan perpetually at war. His father was the president of the Niigata Shinbun (Newspaper), a politician, and a poet.
Ango wanted to be a writer at 16. He moved to Tokyo at 17, after hitting a teacher who caught him truanting. His father died from brain cancer the following year, leaving his family in massive debt. At 20, Ango taught for a year as a substitute teacher following secondary school. He became heavily involved in Buddhism and went to University to study Indian philosophy, graduating at the age of 25. Throughout his career as a student, Ango was very vocal in his opinions.
He wrote various works of literature after graduating, receiving praise from writers such as Makino Shin’ichi. His literary career started around the same time as Japan’s expansion into Manchuria. He met his wife to be, Yada Tsuseko, at 27. His mother died when he was 37, in the middle of World War II. He struggled for recognition as a writer for years before finally finding it with “A Personal View of Japanese Culture” in 1942, and again with “On Decadence” in 1946. That same year, the Emperor formally declared himself a human being, not a god. Ango had a child at 48 with his second wife, Kaji Michio. He died from a brain aneurysm at age 48 in 1955.
Ango was born in 1906, and was the 12th child of 13. He was born in the middle of a Japan perpetually at war. His father was the president of the Niigata Shinbun (Newspaper), a politician, and a poet.
Ango wanted to be a writer at 16. He moved to Tokyo at 17, after hitting a teacher who caught him truanting. His father died from brain cancer the following year, leaving his family in massive debt. At 20, Ango taught for a year as a substitute teacher following secondary school. He became heavily involved in Buddhism and went to University to study Indian philosophy, graduating at the age of 25. Throughout his career as a student, Ango was very vocal in his opinions.
He wrote various works of literature after graduating, receiving praise from writers such as Makino Shin’ichi. His literary career started around the same time as Japan’s expansion into Manchuria. He met his wife to be, Yada Tsuseko, at 27. His mother died when he was 37, in the middle of World War II. He struggled for recognition as a writer for years before finally finding it with “A Personal View of Japanese Culture” in 1942, and again with “On Decadence” in 1946. That same year, the Emperor formally declared himself a human being, not a god. Ango had a child at 48 with his second wife, Kaji Michio. He died from a brain aneurysm at age 48 in 1955.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 7, 2024
usually not a big fan of non-fiction so i wasnt expecting much but this was so interesting and captivating! it was so good nearing the end and i would have loved to read more. the start was a little slow for me but got really good really fast. i think ango made a lot of good points and really interesting ideas. im excited to read more of him <33 im really glad i read this i think its a really important piece of work.
December 9, 2021
How do i read
September 20, 2024
Lo tuve que releer. Simplemente bello.
July 9, 2024
In the annals of post-war Japanese literature, Ango Sakaguchi's Discourse on Decadence stands as an iconoclastic treatise, a veritable crucible wherein the molten contradictions of ethical certitudes are cast, questioned, and ultimately, reconstituted. This text, a sombre mosaic of paradoxical articulations, is emblematic of the dialectical tensions inherent in the reconstruction of ethical and existential frameworks within the chaotic milieu of a post-World War II society.
Sakaguchi's discourse transcends mere historical commentary; it probes the ontological substratum of human nature itself. He posits that the descent of brave returning soldiers into the prosaic world of black markets and the fall of saints from their sanctified pedestals is not an aberration resultant from the war's cataclysm but an inevitable reversion to the quintessence of human existence. This reversion, as Sakaguchi asserts, is neither a negation of ethical constructs nor a capitulation to moral relativism but an acknowledgment of the intrinsic dualities that reside within the human psyche.
The essay, first published in 1946, encapsulates a period of profound societal introspection. Sakaguchi's reflective narrative unveils a society that, in the aftermath of its military defeat, grapples with the disintegration of wartime ideals and the emergence of a new moral order.
At the heart of Sakaguchi's critique lies the concept of decadence, a term he wields with both scorn and reverence. Decadence, in Sakaguchi's parlance, is not merely moral decay but a fundamental aspect of the human condition. It is a return to the primordial state of being human, an unadorned existence stripped of the veneer of societal pretensions. Herein lies the paradox: while decadence is often perceived as a fall from grace, Sakaguchi reframes it as a return to authenticity.
In his observation of post-war Japan, Sakaguchi contrasts the austere idealism of wartime society with the seemingly debauched freedom of the post-war era. He contends that true freedom, when unshackled from the constraints of war, reveals an inherent unfreedom—a paradoxical limitation borne from the very essence of human nature. This duality, the coexistence of noble aspirations and base instincts, forms the crux of Sakaguchi's argument.
The war, with its orchestrated destruction and grand narratives of fate, provided a veneer of purpose and beauty—a hollow yet compelling utopia. In contrast, the post-war period's unvarnished reality exposes the fragility and futility of such grand narratives. The kamikaze pilots, once exalted as symbols of ultimate sacrifice, now navigate the mundane, morally ambiguous world of black markets. The women who mourned their lost husbands now find solace in new relationships. These transitions, Sakaguchi suggests, are not failures but reflections of an unchanging human nature that persists beneath the surface of societal transformations.
Sakaguchi's treatise is replete with an understanding of human nature as a complex interplay of greatness and pettiness. He scrutinises the wartime virtues of endurance and patience, the bushidō code of the samurai, and the veneration of the Emperor, dissecting these constructs to reveal their foundational aim: to counteract inherent human decadence. These societal regulations, Sakaguchi argues, are less about moral rectitude and more about an intuitive recognition of human fickleness and fragility.
The Emperor, in Sakaguchi's view, is a political and cultural construct designed to inspire and maintain societal dignity. This system, though seemingly absurd to contemporary eyes, encapsulates a historical intuition that recognises the need for a moral touchstone, a figurehead around which the complexities of human nature can be navigated. This construct is akin to the injunctions against women's chastity and the bushidō code, embodying insights into the human condition that transcend simplistic moral judgments.
A recurring motif in Sakaguchi's discourse is the ephemeral beauty of life—a beauty that he paradoxically prefers in its transient form. The untimely death of a young woman, the purity of a saint, these are ideals that Sakaguchi juxtaposes against the inevitable degradation of a prolonged existence. His personal reflections on the suicide of his niece and his wartime experiences reveal a nuanced understanding of life and death, beauty and decay.
The war, with its catastrophic violence, paradoxically inspired a profound love for humanity in Sakaguchi. The destruction, while exhilarating in its grandeur, also underscored the transient beauty of human existence. Post-war freedom, in its unstructured reality, starkly contrasts with the controlled yet hollow beauty of wartime Japan. Sakaguchi's reflections on this dichotomy reveal his deep-seated belief in the value of life as an unadorned, authentic experience.
Ango Sakaguchi's Discourse on Decadence is a seminal exploration of the inherent contradictions within human nature and societal constructs. His critique transcends the immediate historical context of post-war Japan, offering a profound meditation on the dualities of human existence. By embracing the inevitability of decadence and the perpetual striving for noble ideals, Sakaguchi presents a dialectical view of life that acknowledges both the greatness and pettiness of humanity.
This essay, through its paradoxical expressions and philosophical musings, invites readers to confront the inherent ambiguities of their own existence. Sakaguchi's work, therefore, is not merely a critique of post-war society but a timeless reflection on the human condition, urging a recognition of the complex interplay between freedom and limitation, authenticity and pretence, decadence and dignity.
Sakaguchi's discourse transcends mere historical commentary; it probes the ontological substratum of human nature itself. He posits that the descent of brave returning soldiers into the prosaic world of black markets and the fall of saints from their sanctified pedestals is not an aberration resultant from the war's cataclysm but an inevitable reversion to the quintessence of human existence. This reversion, as Sakaguchi asserts, is neither a negation of ethical constructs nor a capitulation to moral relativism but an acknowledgment of the intrinsic dualities that reside within the human psyche.
The essay, first published in 1946, encapsulates a period of profound societal introspection. Sakaguchi's reflective narrative unveils a society that, in the aftermath of its military defeat, grapples with the disintegration of wartime ideals and the emergence of a new moral order.
At the heart of Sakaguchi's critique lies the concept of decadence, a term he wields with both scorn and reverence. Decadence, in Sakaguchi's parlance, is not merely moral decay but a fundamental aspect of the human condition. It is a return to the primordial state of being human, an unadorned existence stripped of the veneer of societal pretensions. Herein lies the paradox: while decadence is often perceived as a fall from grace, Sakaguchi reframes it as a return to authenticity.
In his observation of post-war Japan, Sakaguchi contrasts the austere idealism of wartime society with the seemingly debauched freedom of the post-war era. He contends that true freedom, when unshackled from the constraints of war, reveals an inherent unfreedom—a paradoxical limitation borne from the very essence of human nature. This duality, the coexistence of noble aspirations and base instincts, forms the crux of Sakaguchi's argument.
The war, with its orchestrated destruction and grand narratives of fate, provided a veneer of purpose and beauty—a hollow yet compelling utopia. In contrast, the post-war period's unvarnished reality exposes the fragility and futility of such grand narratives. The kamikaze pilots, once exalted as symbols of ultimate sacrifice, now navigate the mundane, morally ambiguous world of black markets. The women who mourned their lost husbands now find solace in new relationships. These transitions, Sakaguchi suggests, are not failures but reflections of an unchanging human nature that persists beneath the surface of societal transformations.
Sakaguchi's treatise is replete with an understanding of human nature as a complex interplay of greatness and pettiness. He scrutinises the wartime virtues of endurance and patience, the bushidō code of the samurai, and the veneration of the Emperor, dissecting these constructs to reveal their foundational aim: to counteract inherent human decadence. These societal regulations, Sakaguchi argues, are less about moral rectitude and more about an intuitive recognition of human fickleness and fragility.
The Emperor, in Sakaguchi's view, is a political and cultural construct designed to inspire and maintain societal dignity. This system, though seemingly absurd to contemporary eyes, encapsulates a historical intuition that recognises the need for a moral touchstone, a figurehead around which the complexities of human nature can be navigated. This construct is akin to the injunctions against women's chastity and the bushidō code, embodying insights into the human condition that transcend simplistic moral judgments.
A recurring motif in Sakaguchi's discourse is the ephemeral beauty of life—a beauty that he paradoxically prefers in its transient form. The untimely death of a young woman, the purity of a saint, these are ideals that Sakaguchi juxtaposes against the inevitable degradation of a prolonged existence. His personal reflections on the suicide of his niece and his wartime experiences reveal a nuanced understanding of life and death, beauty and decay.
The war, with its catastrophic violence, paradoxically inspired a profound love for humanity in Sakaguchi. The destruction, while exhilarating in its grandeur, also underscored the transient beauty of human existence. Post-war freedom, in its unstructured reality, starkly contrasts with the controlled yet hollow beauty of wartime Japan. Sakaguchi's reflections on this dichotomy reveal his deep-seated belief in the value of life as an unadorned, authentic experience.
Ango Sakaguchi's Discourse on Decadence is a seminal exploration of the inherent contradictions within human nature and societal constructs. His critique transcends the immediate historical context of post-war Japan, offering a profound meditation on the dualities of human existence. By embracing the inevitability of decadence and the perpetual striving for noble ideals, Sakaguchi presents a dialectical view of life that acknowledges both the greatness and pettiness of humanity.
This essay, through its paradoxical expressions and philosophical musings, invites readers to confront the inherent ambiguities of their own existence. Sakaguchi's work, therefore, is not merely a critique of post-war society but a timeless reflection on the human condition, urging a recognition of the complex interplay between freedom and limitation, authenticity and pretence, decadence and dignity.
May 24, 2025
this was genuinely so captivating; short but insightful. a philosophical review of the sociopolitical state of japan with a personal twist. i loved the comparison of politics to art and the absurdist allusions here. this aided me in understanding the ambivalence of bsd ango's character a whole lot more. def opened up some interest points for me ill have to research more!!
August 3, 2025
very interesting; there was something reassuring in the way he describes how humans don't change, but how that's also the cause of our downfall. Context of WWII and some japanese history was needed to understand what he was talking about — so maybe i'll reread when I learn more about that. Otherwise this was really satisfying to read
March 16, 2022
"Humans live and humans fall. There is no easy shortcut to saving of humanity outside this.
It is not because we lost the war that we grow decadent. We fall because we are human, it is only because we live that we fall. But I believe that humans cannot fall utterly."
Truly a beautiful essay.
It is not because we lost the war that we grow decadent. We fall because we are human, it is only because we live that we fall. But I believe that humans cannot fall utterly."
Truly a beautiful essay.
October 21, 2022
Would recommend reading for post war Japan understanding. A few thesis and research papers might help to actually understand all the nuances in the essay.
December 27, 2023
gave me a new view to the way we as people try to change the world
February 26, 2025
thank you ango for reaffirming my loser lifestyle
March 17, 2025
Bro solved philosophy in 6 pages
March 18, 2025
que genialidad
April 23, 2025
resulta que no tuve un solo pensamiento original en mi vida
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews