I've been a hikikomori - or rather, a quasi-hikikomori (because I usually like being around people very much) - since 2020 due to the pandemic (which, from a scientific point of view, is still ongoing as not much has changed since the outbreak, but let's not get into that).
However, what intrigues me the most is how the concept of hikikomori relates to sōshoku-kei 草食系, or 'herbivore men', whom I've recently learned about. Are these two phenomena partially associated with each other? Do they overlap in some ways?
I think back in the early 2000s, hikikomori and herbivore men were thought about by critics in similar ways. Both looked like a rejection of Japanese values: sociability, hard work, bringing up a family. To people who were more sympathetic, both seemed to be the product of a society that couldn't provide decent career prospects anymore.
I agree. I’ve been trying to get over my initial reaction of ‘this is simply wrong’ and think harder about what counts as ‘presence.’ I’m not quite there yet, I have to say!
It's hard to judge because their brains must operate completely different to mine. I had to quarantine in my apartment after flying back to Taiwan from the UK during COVID. Even though it was only a few days and I had access to entertainment and could still contact friends and family, I was going stir crazy because I wasn't allowed to leave my apartment. I just can't imagine doing that for years / decades on end
The desire to isolate socially certainly is a typical feature of major depression. That said, as with most behavioral phenomena, different causes can lead to the same outcome. People with intense social anxiety would prefer to stay at home and interact with others online, a medium where they can control how others perceive them. Shame, with its expectation that others will react with disdain and/or disgust, also motivates social withdrawal--and is often a feature of both of these conditions.
I've been a hikikomori - or rather, a quasi-hikikomori (because I usually like being around people very much) - since 2020 due to the pandemic (which, from a scientific point of view, is still ongoing as not much has changed since the outbreak, but let's not get into that).
However, what intrigues me the most is how the concept of hikikomori relates to sōshoku-kei 草食系, or 'herbivore men', whom I've recently learned about. Are these two phenomena partially associated with each other? Do they overlap in some ways?
I think back in the early 2000s, hikikomori and herbivore men were thought about by critics in similar ways. Both looked like a rejection of Japanese values: sociability, hard work, bringing up a family. To people who were more sympathetic, both seemed to be the product of a society that couldn't provide decent career prospects anymore.
Thank you for sharing this. It is a topic that does immediately provoke feelings of sadness and curiousity at the same time.
I agree. I’ve been trying to get over my initial reaction of ‘this is simply wrong’ and think harder about what counts as ‘presence.’ I’m not quite there yet, I have to say!
It's hard to judge because their brains must operate completely different to mine. I had to quarantine in my apartment after flying back to Taiwan from the UK during COVID. Even though it was only a few days and I had access to entertainment and could still contact friends and family, I was going stir crazy because I wasn't allowed to leave my apartment. I just can't imagine doing that for years / decades on end
Same here, I’d find it very tough indeed. I hate to think of the level of despair that must be involved, in at least some cases.
The desire to isolate socially certainly is a typical feature of major depression. That said, as with most behavioral phenomena, different causes can lead to the same outcome. People with intense social anxiety would prefer to stay at home and interact with others online, a medium where they can control how others perceive them. Shame, with its expectation that others will react with disdain and/or disgust, also motivates social withdrawal--and is often a feature of both of these conditions.
Many thanks for your comment - good to have this nuance.