Hikikomori: Why are so many Japanese men refusing to leave their rooms?

Post by krichman » Fri, Jul 05, 2013, 7:19 AM UTC

smtddr wrote: post #18

jmduke wrote: post #4

Hikikomori might be a Japanese term, but its not a Japanese phenomenon. I know dozens of my American friends who do the same thing -- hide from seemingly unprecedented expectations and similarly daunting odds, hide from society in alcohol, in television, in dual 2560x1600 monitors, even in exercise. (My room was video games, and I'm glad I found the doorknob.)

What's going on in Japan is a bit more severe than the western world's version. It came to a point where videos like these were made - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSq0XOHxJsQ Note the top comment made 4 years ago. While depression definitely exists globally, I don't think I've heard of videos like these being made for any place other than Japan. If I'm wrong though, please correct me.

Post by da02 » Fri, Jul 05, 2013, 7:21 AM UTC

lsc wrote: post #26

mathrawka wrote: post #14

"I was very well mentally, but my parents pushed me the way I didn't want to go," he says. "My father is an artist and he runs his own business - he wanted me to do the same." But Matsu wanted to become a computer programmer in a large firm - one of corporate Japan's army of "salarymen. But my father said: 'In the future there won't be a society like that.' He said: 'Don't become a salaryman.'" Starting your own SaaS…

>Starting your own SaaS/app/startup isn't that common for Japanese people, but it is starting to pick up more steam over the past few years. Sounds like his father would be happy to know what he can do with his computer skills if he expands out to becoming an entrepreneur. The skillsets involved in running your own company and the skillsets involved in working for someone else... are very different animals. Especiall…

Post by brigade » Fri, Jul 05, 2013, 7:35 AM UTC

omegant wrote: post #20

ekianjo wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you ignore the fact that parents accept the phenomenon and don't do anything about it. They let their children become apathetic and do not take action. I see that numerous times in Japan (I live here) where there is a clear detachment between family members and an agreement that they should not influence each other's lives.

Maybe they don't really know how to act about it. After all (and I am just guessing here) tradition doesn't teach how to help this people.

Post by patio11 » Fri, Jul 05, 2013, 7:39 AM UTC

krichman wrote: post #41

smtddr wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's going on in Japan is a bit more severe than the western world's version. It came to a point where videos like these were made - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSq0XOHxJsQ Note the top comment made 4 years ago. While depression definitely exists globally, I don't think I've heard of videos like these being made for any place other than Japan. If I'm wrong though, please correct me.

What is the intended effect of that video? A proxy for human interaction?

Post by intrazoo » Fri, Jul 05, 2013, 7:41 AM UTC

tankbot wrote: post #7

jmduke wrote: post #4

Hikikomori might be a Japanese term, but its not a Japanese phenomenon. I know dozens of my American friends who do the same thing -- hide from seemingly unprecedented expectations and similarly daunting odds, hide from society in alcohol, in television, in dual 2560x1600 monitors, even in exercise. (My room was video games, and I'm glad I found the doorknob.)

I understand this completely, having been through much the same during a darker period of my life. Seriously dark. Flat Black. Sometimes I still can't believe I found the "doorknob", but I'm really glad I did. Also, reading the term NEET here reminded me of Eden of the East, which is a cool Anime if anyone is into that.