All of the information stated in this article is based on reliable sources of information and is detailed at the end of the article
Dream chaser
Edited by Dream Chaser
●—≺ Preface ≻—●
Now, the "low-desire society" is quietly coming!
The force that once drove the predecessors to move forward bravely has quietly become soft and thin.
There is such a group of young people in Japan, they are not like when we were young, full of enthusiasm and always want to break into the world, now they prefer to live at home and live in peace.
What the hell is going on? Is it because times have changed, or is the mentality of young people really different?
●—≺ What is a "low-desire society"? ≻—●
What is low desire? Is it the "lying flat" in the process of involution, or the "rotten" after not being able to roll up at all, or the "Buddha" mentality of choosing to stay out of the matter from the beginning?
Contemporary young people no longer believe that happiness comes from struggle, but feel that it is a bowl of poisonous chicken soup, and this group of "low desire" psychology is becoming more and more intense is the young people of contemporary Japan.
Choose "non-marriage" at the age of marriage, adhere to "non-marriage" at the best stage of childbearing, and live a free life under the banner of "freedom".
They would rather rent a house for a lifetime and move back and forth countless times, rather than spend all their hard-earned money on buying a new house and being a house slave for most of their lives.
So, are you envious of the state of young people in Japan?
This "low desire" mentality of "no desire, no desire" is not only a product of Japan's current social development, but even the epitome can be found in the book "Low Desire Society" written by the famous Japan writer "Kenichi Ohmae" nine years ago.
So, as a master who has insight into society and has unique insights, what kind of insights do you have about the "low-desire society"?
For the vast majority of young Japan, "knowledge changes destiny and struggle creates the future" is like a castle in the sky, and it is unattainable.
If you want to create an unforgettable history of success through conscientious struggle, it is tantamount to more difficult than climbing to the sky, and the younger generation, as the backbone of the country's development, how can it be the "mud" that cannot support the wall?
Of course, the common phenomenon of the "low-desire society" is not only reflected in the lack of self-motivation among young people, but also exposes many social problems, such as a low birth rate, an increasing elderly population year by year, and a desire to consume that only decreases but does not increase.
This is the "low desire" advocated by the Japan people, and although the natural life without competition with the world has allowed many people to live a casual life, in the long run, it has caused irreparable damage to the domestic economy.
It is important to know that nearly 60% of domestic demand is a strong driving force for Japan's gross domestic product, and once the mentality of "no desire and no desire" spreads to the consumption field, it will be an unprecedented disaster for any country.
Even the economically developed Japan is not immune, and in the face of the shortcomings of urban development, the Japan government has successively introduced a number of economic policies to achieve the purpose of expanding domestic demand and stimulating consumption, but in the end it has achieved little results.
In the face of this thorny question, people can't help but ask, why is the phenomenon of Japan's "low-desire society" the most obvious in so many countries around the world?
●—≺ Japan "Low Desire Society" Causes ≻—●
There is not only one cause for the "low desire society", but it is the result of a combination of factors.
The first factor that is undeniable is the reduction in income levels, after all, who doesn't want to buy their long-awaited sports car and bag when they don't have to worry about money?
Affected by the new coronavirus epidemic, Japan's economy has also suffered unprecedented trauma.
In 2021, for example, the average annual income level of low-level workers has taken a big dive, to only 4.03 million yen.
It seems to be a large amount, but when converted into RMB, it is only 200,000 yuan, although this average annual income is about the same as the income level of China's middle-income class, which makes many Chinese people envious.
However, if you compare it vertically, you can see that this income is not only 60,000 yen lower than the previous year, but also 520,000 yen less than the average annual income of 4.55 million yen during the Great Depression 30 years ago.
As the process moves forward, the pace of human social development is also accelerating, but in the face of "not increasing but decreasing" income, many people are disappointed by the signs of economic recovery.
With the mentality that you won't die at this meal and don't starve to death at the next meal, the only safe way to survive the current economic downturn is to save money.
In the post-epidemic era, Japan's mentality of saving money is only increasing, and in the face of the tragic situation of the depreciation of the yen, it has always kept money in the bank that it thinks is the safest, and lives a life without desire to spend all day.
The second trigger is the coexistence of low birth rate and high aging society, which makes it difficult for the Japanese people to see hope for the future. In the minds of Japan who are thinking of danger in times of peace, I am afraid that this is not the case.
"People" as the protagonist in the process of social development, once there is a break in the phenomenon, it will be an extremely serious problem, which is why under the premise of the current economic pressure, China still has to implement the three-child policy with great difficulty?
But the "three-child" policy basically does not work in Japan, after all, most young people adhere to the principle of not having a child, such a low natural growth rate, but also to ensure that a large number of elderly people can be supported, how will Japan jump out of the dilemma of double pressure?
However, even in the face of the social reality of low birth rate and high mortality rate, Japan, with a narrow national concept, are unwilling to put down their position to absorb the foreign population in order to achieve the goal of increasing the mechanical growth rate of the population.
External forces do not want to be used, and internal forces cannot be counted on, from multiple measures to no plan, under this top-down population incentive policy, most young people in Japan have gone to the road of "lying flat".
To be different fireworks in the world, to live a different free life, not to be bound by the cage of marriage, not to be repaid mortgage and to move forward, but this kind of life of not struggling to gnaw at the old is a true portrayal of the current "low desire" group in Japan.
●—≺ Conclusion ≻—●
On the other hand, will China become like this one day?
Although the phenomenon of "low desire" can be seen in contemporary young people, it does not mean that China has entered a "low desire society", and such a conclusion is inappropriate.
After all, whether it is in terms of expanding domestic demand or increasing external demand, China has great potential to stimulate consumption growth!
Of course, having a population base of more than Japan 10 times is also a key factor that cannot be ignored, at least in terms of consumption desire can be completely better than Japan.
Bibliography:
Economic Daily: August 18, 2023, "Weekly Economic Observation" Don't Misjudge the New Consumption Situation with "Low Desire"
Finance: October 7, 2022, "Don't Marry, Don't Have Children, Don't Buy a House...... Will Japan's low-desire society be China's future? 》
The Paper: June 9, 2022, "Why Japan Has a "Low Desire Society"
Titanium Sky Time: August 1, 2023, "The Cold Snap of the "Low Desire Society" Is Not Only in Japan, But Also in China |