Hikikomori: The Problematic of Escape and Isolation of The Modern Culture from Social Reality to Digital Orientations

Abstract

This paper deals with the phenomenon Hikikomori that has risen especially in Japan and other far-east countries and has acquired a global dimension each passing day. Hikikomori, which defines those who lock themselves in their room and who never go out of the room under the influence of socialisation factors such as education, occupation and family, can be interpreted as a symptom of technology and competition-based modern culture; so much so that today numerous parents even in Turkey complain about their children who are isolated to their world, who cannot communicate, who do not take responsibility and who lose themselves in technology-related orientations such as virtual identities in social networks, computer games, electronic consumption and online gambling. The case of Hikikomori that has been increased among the youth indicates both withdrawal and disengagement from external world. This article that aims to examine the causes as well as results of Hikikomori analyses the Japanese society-centred question as a sort of common trend that touches upon the contemporary world beyond locality. That is why, although essential references of this qualitative study is based on the far-eastern texts and films, its arguments and findings are about the liquid and fragile modernity that covers Turkish society.

Keywords

• Hikikomori
• modernity
• digitalisation
• oppression
• escape
• isolation.

Hikikomori: Toplumsal Gerçeklikten Dijital Yönelimlere Modern Kültürün Kaçış ve İzolasyon Sorunsalı

Abstract

Bu çalışma, özellikle Japonya ve diğer Uzak Doğu ülkelerinde yükselen ve her geçen küresel boyut kazanan hikikomori fenomenini ele almaktadır. Eğitim, meslek ve aile gibi toplumsallaşma faktörlerinin etkisi altında odalarına kapanan ve yıllarca oradan çıkmayan bireyleri tanımlayan hikikomori, teknoloji ve rekabet temelli modern kültürün bir semptomu olarak yorumlanabilir. Öyle ki bugün Türkiye’de bile sayısız ebeveyn, kendi dünyalarında izole olan, insanlarla iletişime geçemeyen, sorumluluk almayan ve sosyal ağlarda sanal kimlikler edinip; bilgisayar oyunları, elektronik tüketim ve online kumar gibi teknoloji eksenli yönelimler içinde kaybolan çocuklarından şikayet etmektedir. Sayısı özellikle gençler arasında artan hikikomori vakası, hem geri çekilmeyi hem de dış dünyadan kopuşu ifade etmektedir. Hikikomori’nin sonuçları kadar nedenlerini de sorgulamayı amaçlayan bu makale, söz konusu Japon toplumu sorunsalını yerelliğin ötesinde çağdaş dünyaya dokunan bir tür yaygın trend olarak analiz etmektedir. Bu nedenle, bu nitel çalışmanın temel referansları her ne kadar Uzak Doğu’ya ait metin ve filmlere dayandırılsa da, argüman ve çıkarımları, içinde Türk toplumunun da olduğu akışkan ve kırılgan moderniteye dairdir.

Keywords

• Hikikomori
• modernite
• dijitalleşme
• baskı
• kaçış
• izolasyon.

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