Shutting out the sun
by Michael Zielenziger · first published 2006
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6HN commenters
2013–2026first – last mentioned
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The world's second-wealthiest country, Japan once seemed poised to overtake America. But its failure to recover from the economic collapse of the early 1990s was unprecedented, and today it confronts an array of disturbing social trends. Japan has the highest suicide rate and lowest birthrate of all industrialized countries, and a rising incidence of untreated cases of depression. Equally as troubling are the more than one million young men who shut themselves in their rooms, withdrawing from society, and the growing numbers of "parasite singles," the name given to single women who refuse to l
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…labeling and social judgment. I'd encourage you to read up on Hikikomori. Japan has a culture that causes a great deal more shut-ins than we do and there is a significant body of work on the phenomenon. Shutting Out the Sun http://www.amazon.com/Shutting-Out-Sun-Generation-Departures... is a pretty good book. There is a good introductory article here http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/15/magazine/15japanese.html?p... Simply…
on “I'm a shut-in. This is my story” ↗I recommend the book "Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created Its Own Lost Generation" by Michael Zielenziger. The main topic is Hikikomori, a group of (mostly young, mostly male) Japanese people who, unable to handle to immense pressure to conform…
on “China’s plan to give every citizen a social credit score” ↗If this topic interests you, you might enjoy the book “Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created Its Own Lost Generation” by Michael Zielenziger: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL24765707M/Shutting_out_the_s...
on “The hikikomori in Asia: A life within four walls” ↗A highly insightful book on Japanese culture on what makes people reluctant to be part of society (getting married, having children etc) is "Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created Its Own Lost Generation" https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/1400077796/
on “Japan's birth rate falls to a record low as the number of marriages also drops” ↗…the Japanese are especially lonely. I can say that those who are have little means to express that among themselves. If the topic interests you, check out the Hikkikomori phenomenon, such a the book: "Shutting out the Sun: How Japan created its own lost generation." See also the difficulty that Japanese mental health professionals have in the country. Such places are as discreet as abortion clinics are in the American…
on “Japanese 'rent men' who are paid just to listen” ↗I've been reading Zielenziger's Shutting Out The Sun on the hikkikomori phenomenon, and among many depressing story there's one that stuck out: a father, mother and their early 20s hikkikomori son were sharing an apartment, with their son having very little…
on “Japan home to 541,000 young recluses” ↗…the early generations of neets are aging and dying, not to mention that they must be growing quite old. Now robots will come. Perhaps this will serve as a warning for a new welfare system in Japan. [0] Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created Its Own Lost Generation (2007)
on “In Japan, the robot isn't coming for your job; it's filling the one nobody wants” ↗