The "automatization" of Japanese society: What awaits us once we stop being "nice"? - 12/28/2025

Summary

Have you noticed recently that Japanese society has become somewhat colder or more tense? This isn't because our hearts have become worse; it's the result of people acting too rationally, trying to avoid losing out with limited time and money. This article explains how our behavior has become "automated" and our humanity is being lost.

Keywords

Calculating profits and losses, manual humans, outsourcing the mind, the efficiency trap

Introduction

"I'm following the rules, so don't complain," "I don't want to lose out, so I'm not going to get involved." We're hearing these phrases more and more. The spirit of mutual understanding, once cherished in Japanese society, has disappeared, and everyone seems to be operating like a "precise machine." What is the true nature of this discomfort?

In fact, what we're facing isn't simply a deterioration in manners. This is the result of us abandoning our own "thinking" and "compassion" to external rules and calculations in order to survive.

1. A vending machine of words that has abandoned "thinking"

Today, when we say something to someone, we worry first about whether we'll be angry if we say it or what someone else's correct answer is, rather than thinking it through ourselves.

A typical example is the constant use of formulaic phrases like "I'm sorry if I caused you any discomfort" when apologizing. These are not words that come from our heart; they are simply executing a "program" designed to get through the situation without causing any trouble. We have become "automatic verbal machines," just like a vending machine that dispenses a specific product at the push of a button.

Why does this happen? It takes too much energy to choose words that take each person's heart into account. With no time to spare, we unknowingly give up on human dialogue by exchanging empty "safe words."

2. A hyper-efficient machine driven solely by "gain or loss"

The next phenomenon is the phenomenon of measuring every action solely by whether it benefits oneself.

Raising children, volunteering in the community, and helping those in need are not actions that inherently bring immediate benefits. However, for modern people who are short on time and money, these acts of kindness, which may or may not be repaid, simply appear as a cost (loss).

The idea that "it's best to stay out of things that don't concern you" has become the norm in society. The more everyone tries to act smartly and efficiently, the more the "invisible savings" that support society as a whole are eroded. As a result, a fractured society is created, where everyone only cares for their own interests.

3. Does our heart matter as long as we follow the rules?

Finally, we fall into the trap of becoming "slaves to the rules."

"I can do whatever I want because it's not required by law," or "I won't do it because it's not in the manual." At first glance, these attitudes may seem to emphasize compliance. However, the flip side of this is an abdication of responsibility, thinking, "As long as I follow the rules, I don't have to judge what's right or wrong."

Ethics and morality should be something we hold dear, but we've relegated them entirely to "external rules." As a result, we've become dominated by "overly clever people" who find loopholes in the rules and cheat, and "righteous people" who use the rules as weapons to attack others. Laws and rules have been reduced to "tools" to manipulate others and protect ourselves, rather than to help people.

Conclusion

The true nature of the society we perceive as "cold" is not that we've become bad people, but rather that we've "automated" ourselves in order to survive our stressful daily lives.

When we hear the phrase "ideal society," we tend to imagine a world where everyone joins hands, but the reality is harsh. Kindness isn't free. Acting for others requires sacrificing our precious assets—our time and energy. By running away from this reality and entrusting everything to calculations and rules, we have created a highly efficient, empty society that cuts out the "cost of humanity."

Will we continue to function as mere parts in this "automated" society? Or will we be willing to accept a "loss" and regain our humanity? We find ourselves at a critical juncture.