“The average American, unfamiliar with Japanese social norms or cultural history, likely thinks this is some reflection of premodern Japanese values or ritual suicide traditions. It’s not.“
@oceandrops, Japan Is What Late-Stage Capitalist Decline Looks Like
It’s tempting to view Japanese work-life balance issues as rooted in its pre-modern culture of shame and duty.
This article convincingly makes the case that instead, it’s all related to Japan’s poorly performing economy, and it’s a prediction of where we’re all headed.
“The convenience culture [of Konbini stores selling excellent food, WPB] is not leisure culture. It’s a substitute for home life in a society where people lack the time to cook, rest or socialize. The U.S. has equivalents – Sweetgreen, Chipotle, Uber Eats, Amazon Fresh – all reflect the same shift toward outsourced domestic functions.”