Comments

1 - laurent Condominas

Wed, Jan 18, 2006
@ 02:49

Hikikomoris have got themselves a name in Japan, but they can be found as well in the States as in Europe: a number are now able to make a living out of their skills, have their food delivered, their bills prepaid.
Soon they will even be able to consult their doctors online.
In a special sort of way, one could conclude some human are going back to dwelling in the caves and grottos of our ancestors

2 - Piers Fawkes

Wed, Jan 18, 2006
@ 05:57

hey. why not cut and past the complete PSFK post onto your site. Oh! You did. what clever blogging, what!

3 - Emily Turrettini

Wed, Jan 18, 2006
@ 08:03

Apologies Piers for taking your copy in full. It was such a good summary of the lengthy NY Times article. PSFK was properly linked and attributed.

Emily Turrettini

4 - Howard Rheingold

Wed, Jan 18, 2006
@ 10:11

That’s what the “[via PSFK] link means, Piers.

5 - Fox

Sun, Jan 29, 2006
@ 14:38

The statement “To hell with it. I don’t like it and I don’t do well.” is grossly simplified. To the point it pains me.

Being a Hikikomri is about a lot of fear. Depression. Frustration. A burn out at a very early age. Isolation. Despair.

Of course there are many types of individuals but that’s the underlying basis. Speaking from experience first hand.

6 - Pluto

Fri, Feb 10, 2006
@ 08:12

Just read the NYT article about hikik’s and found, that I’m similar with them. BUT I’m not from Japan. Anyway, I go out only in the late evening and I meet from time to time just 1-2 people except the family. I don’t go out during the day, because I don’t want to meet anyone from my past. The rest is Internet, listening to remote HAM-stations on the radio and sending job-applications. I have never thought before, that I could live like that for nearly 18 months, but it works well and this is actually the problem.

7 - hikikusa

Fri, Jul 7, 2006
@ 15:31

I’m in the US.

I don’t leave the house. I got sick of being mistreated and rejected by women and betrayed by male friends. I used to give everyone a chance but not anymore. I’d much rather just stay in the basement. I wish I could sleep all the time and never have to wake up at all, but I suppose 18 hours of sleep a day is enough. I try to exercise every couple of days, swimming or running or riding my bike in the very early morning when i’m not likely to see anyone.

My hair is growing long and mangy because I never wash it except maybe a little in the lake. I just don’t care.

When my mother dies, which I hope is soon, I will take my own life. I hate this fucking place and I wish I was dead.

8 - geo

Tue, Mar 6, 2007
@ 19:24

wow.. i just heard about this phenomenon, as it relates to japanese culture.. but i am canadian and have been a life-long hikikomori.

i rarely leave the house, mostly for specific things, go to the clinic, library, job interview, or to the store for certain things. i have tried going to colleges, university, had a million jobs but nothing works for me. i just am not in sync with society, never have.

since i was a kid, i hung out with the same people but now they’ll all gone from me. i had a few girlfriends, but they’ve all left me.

so you see, it’s a sad lonely existence but it’s all i know. i sympathesize with all those who cannot stand the oputside world. something’s definitely wrong with me/us, but even more so with society.

9 - Eira

Sat, May 12, 2007
@ 23:01

Geo,

I think you are just like me.
There is a term for people like us in psychology, it is called schizoid. We are just no in sync with society.
You can google for forum for schizoid people.
There are actually quite a number of people like us.
So actually we are not alone in our loneliness.
I am in Indonesia, I wish I am in the so called “developed world” like US, it would be much better.

10 - Eira

Sat, May 12, 2007
@ 23:14

Geo,

I think you are just like me.
There is a term for people like us in psychology, it is called schizoid. We are just no in sync with society.
You can google for forum for schizoid people.
There are actually quite a number of people like us.
So actually we are not alone in our loneliness.
I am in Indonesia, I wish I am in the so called “developed world” like US, it would be much better.