Hikikomori, a reclusive lifestyle known to be increasingly prevalent in Japan, has been viewed as odd and strange. Even a form of mental illness for most of us.
I consider them to be lucky in this pandemic.
That simply makes sense, right?
They stay at home voluntarily and thus have higher chance to survive from Covid-19.
One thing to ponder thanks to the phenomenon is that they make us rethink and reconsider what life means without forced conformity, competition, work, productivity, and bullying.
So these people are usually drawn into the reclusive lifestyle because they fail to fit in. They can’t smoothly integrate in the socially rigid Japanese society which demands utmost discipline, no dissenting opinion, and obedience in all respects.
In the pandemic, we are then forced to live a life of hikikomori.
We rebel.
We curse the government for making us a prisoner at our own home. Ridiculous!
While being imprisoned by Covid-19, we are also taught the price of freedom in life. The freedom to live a life of our choice.
The social phenomenon also makes us rethink what really matters in life.
It’s not our job.
It’s not our social network.
It’s not our money and belongings.
It’s not our career.
It’s not our victories and triumphs.
It’s not praise we get from people around us, or insult from bullies.
What really matters is our perspective of our own Self.
If I were to predict who are going to survive Pandemic, I’d say hikikomori folks and people who are lucky and sane enough to stay clear and sane and healthy.
Who knows hikikomori is the future lifestyle? One can dream.
Just a quote to conclude this brief is one I found on a Japanese website written by and for hikikomori people around the world.
“Thanks to the new corona epidemic, you can see how strong a hikikomori is.” (source: hikipos.info)
Geez, I think I can’t disagree. (*/)
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