The guy who gets paid $80K/yr to do nothing
My First Million
Isolation Breeds Tragedy
Severe social withdrawal, exemplified by the phenomenon of hikikomori in Japan, highlights a critical issue where individuals, primarily men, isolate themselves completely from society, often living in their parents' homes without work or social interaction. This trend, affecting an estimated 2 million men, leads to significant periods of disengagement, reflecting a troubling rise in loneliness. Additionally, the concept of kodokushi, or 'death without being cared for,' describes the alarming situation where elderly individuals die in isolation and are discovered weeks or months later, with the number of such cases doubling over the last decade to around 70,000. The increasing prevalence of single-person households, which now represent 38% of the population—tripling in recent years—further underscores the depth of social isolation. In response to these growing concerns, Japan has taken the unprecedented step of appointing a minister of loneliness to address this pressing issue that not only affects the nation but serves as a broader reflection of loneliness experienced globally.
