Parasite singles
Encyclopedia
Parasite single is a Japanese
term for a single person who lives with their parents until their late twenties or early thirties in order to enjoy a carefree and comfortable life. In English, the expression "sponge" or "basement dweller" may sometimes be used.
The expression is mainly used in reference to Japanese society, but similar phenomena can also be found in other countries worldwide. For example, in Italy
, some young adults (especially singles) still rely on their parents.They were joked about by the former Italian Minister of Economy and Finance Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa
, who called them bamboccioni (literally, big [i.e., grown-up] babies). Padoa-Schioppa's "boasting" was considered extremely offensive by some people, and newspapers pointed out that he knew little about the situation of a considerable part of the 20–30 years old Italian population, who do not earn enough money to afford leaving their parents’ house. In Germany they are known as Nesthocker (German for an altricial
bird), who are still living at Hotel Mama("Hotel Mama" is an ironical term for the parental home, since the household chores and the cooking of the meals is done by the mother alone). In Brazil, those individuals are said to rely on Paitrocínio (a pun with the words Pai or Pais, meaning father and parents respectively, and Patrocínio, meaning sponsorship). In Argentina
it is known as "no se va más".
of Tokyo Gakugei University
in his bestselling book The Age of Parasite Singles (パラサイトシングルの時代, parasaito shinguru no jidai), published in October 1999. The catchy phrase quickly found its way into the media
and is now a well-known expression in Japan. Professor Yamada subsequently coined the related term parasite couple to refer to married
children living with the parents of one partner. However, this situation occurs less frequently and the term parasite couples is less well known. This is a traditional Japanese living arrangement, though its prevalence has decreased in recent years.
While some adult children help with the household chores or pay a share of the rent, the vast majority do not. According to some statistics, about 85% of the children do not help with shared living expenses, but instead receive free housekeeping, laundry services, and meals from their parents. On top of that, about 50% of the children receive additional financial assistance from their parents.
This situation allows the children to live in considerable comfort, and while many save money, others spend all their income on luxury items, traveling, and other non-essential expenses. Many children wish to live with their parents until they marry.
The parents, for their part, often enjoy living with their children. Many parents want to protect their children and offer them the best possible start in life. Parents also enjoy the company and the social interaction and try to maintain the relationship. The additional expenses for the parents due to the additional household member are usually small, as the fixed costs such as rent must be paid regardless, and the additional cost for food and other consumables is sometimes negligible. Many parents also see this as an investment in their future, as the children will be more obliged to take care of their parents in their old age (in Japan, it is traditional that children nurse their elderly and disabled parents. In some countries in South América, this is one of the reasons why certain families grow numerous).
"), and the housing agent fee can also easily reach six months' rent; this is non-refundable and must be paid in advance. In summary, becoming independent involves large expenses, work, and a significant drop in living standard. Furthermore, as the vast majority of the Japanese population is concentrated in cities, all the employment and entertainment options desired are within reach from the parental home.
The economic advantages are enjoyed by all types of parasite singles, although there are different subgroups within the group of parasite singles. Career oriented young salarymen
and office ladies
could afford to live on their own, but prefer the additional financial benefits, and perhaps the company and security, of living at their parents' homes. Other adult children have difficulty finding steady employment in the current difficult economic situation. Often, they can only find part time and low-paid jobs, turning into underemployed so-called freeters
who cannot afford to live independently, disregarding if they would like to, or not. Finally, some adult children just do not want to face the competition of the outside world at all, and do not seek work at all, and in extreme situations, they do not even want to leave their parents' house. These children are referred to as hikikomori
(people who withdraw from society, literally to "withdraw into seclusion").
Genda Yuji, associate Professor of the Institute of Social Science (University of Tokyo
), shifted the responsibility about the rise of parasite singles, proposing a socioeconomic driven view, strongly connected to the collapse of bubble economy and the inability of the country's employment system to react after the crisis:
after age 30. Subsequently, while in 1983 there were on average 1.8 children born to every woman over her lifetime, this has decreased to 1.22 children per woman in 2008.
Many parasite singles work, often having successful careers and considerable income, yet relatively few contribute to the living expenses of the parents' household. Subsequently, they have a large amount of disposable income, and few needs for durable goods. It is said that the spending habits of parasite singles is good for the economy, but others point out that they would also have to spend the money if they were living alone, except less for luxury items and more for essential expenses. In effect, the sales of durable goods (refrigerators, furniture, washing machines) in Japan is steadily declining, whereas the sales of luxury goods, especially brand name items like Gucci
, Prada
, Hermès
, Dior
, Givenchy
and especially Louis Vuitton
is booming. Overall, the effect for the economy of Japan
is only a slightly different demand pattern, except for the money leaving Japan due to overseas holidays and import products.
Another effect is a possible reduction in the price of real estate and rental cost due to the increasing number of people per household.
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
term for a single person who lives with their parents until their late twenties or early thirties in order to enjoy a carefree and comfortable life. In English, the expression "sponge" or "basement dweller" may sometimes be used.
The expression is mainly used in reference to Japanese society, but similar phenomena can also be found in other countries worldwide. For example, in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, some young adults (especially singles) still rely on their parents.They were joked about by the former Italian Minister of Economy and Finance Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa
Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa
Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa , Knight Grand Cross was a well-known pro-European Italian banker and economist who was Italy's Minister of Economy and Finance from May 2006 until May 2008...
, who called them bamboccioni (literally, big [i.e., grown-up] babies). Padoa-Schioppa's "boasting" was considered extremely offensive by some people, and newspapers pointed out that he knew little about the situation of a considerable part of the 20–30 years old Italian population, who do not earn enough money to afford leaving their parents’ house. In Germany they are known as Nesthocker (German for an altricial
Altricial
Altricial, meaning "requiring nourishment", refers to a pattern of growth and development in organisms which are incapable of moving around on their own soon after hatching or being born...
bird), who are still living at Hotel Mama("Hotel Mama" is an ironical term for the parental home, since the household chores and the cooking of the meals is done by the mother alone). In Brazil, those individuals are said to rely on Paitrocínio (a pun with the words Pai or Pais, meaning father and parents respectively, and Patrocínio, meaning sponsorship). In Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
it is known as "no se va más".
Origins
The expression was first used by Professor Masahiro YamadaMasahiro Yamada
is a Japanese sociologist known for coining popular sociological terms like "parasite singles" and . A graduate of University of Tokyo, he now teaches at Tokyo Gakugei University as professor.-References:* Corresponding Japanese Wikipedia article....
of Tokyo Gakugei University
Tokyo Gakugei University
Tokyo Gakugei University or Gakudai , for short, is a national university in Koganei, Tokyo. While its history may be traced to 1873, it was formally chartered as a university in 1949 through the merging of four teacher-training institutions....
in his bestselling book The Age of Parasite Singles (パラサイトシングルの時代, parasaito shinguru no jidai), published in October 1999. The catchy phrase quickly found its way into the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
and is now a well-known expression in Japan. Professor Yamada subsequently coined the related term parasite couple to refer to married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
children living with the parents of one partner. However, this situation occurs less frequently and the term parasite couples is less well known. This is a traditional Japanese living arrangement, though its prevalence has decreased in recent years.
Situation
By some estimates, there were 10 million parasite singles in Japan in 1995. According to a 1998 survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, about 60% of single men and 80% of single women between the ages of 20 and 34 live with their parents. These numbers have been steadily increasing since 1976.While some adult children help with the household chores or pay a share of the rent, the vast majority do not. According to some statistics, about 85% of the children do not help with shared living expenses, but instead receive free housekeeping, laundry services, and meals from their parents. On top of that, about 50% of the children receive additional financial assistance from their parents.
This situation allows the children to live in considerable comfort, and while many save money, others spend all their income on luxury items, traveling, and other non-essential expenses. Many children wish to live with their parents until they marry.
The parents, for their part, often enjoy living with their children. Many parents want to protect their children and offer them the best possible start in life. Parents also enjoy the company and the social interaction and try to maintain the relationship. The additional expenses for the parents due to the additional household member are usually small, as the fixed costs such as rent must be paid regardless, and the additional cost for food and other consumables is sometimes negligible. Many parents also see this as an investment in their future, as the children will be more obliged to take care of their parents in their old age (in Japan, it is traditional that children nurse their elderly and disabled parents. In some countries in South América, this is one of the reasons why certain families grow numerous).
Causes
The primary reason for the parasite single phenomenon is not economic, as this phenomenon has always existed. However, the housing costs in Japan are notoriously high, especially in or near large cities. A parasite single who chose to live independently would on average lose 2/3 of his or her disposable income. Furthermore, they would also have to do the cleaning and cooking for themselves. Finally, establishing a household has a large up front cost for durable items as for example a refrigerator, furniture, washing machine, and other items. The security deposit, traditional monetary gift for the landlord ("key moneyKey money
The term "key money" is used differently in different parts of the world. It sometimes means money paid to an existing tenant who assigns a lease to a new tenant where the rent is below market. It sometimes means a bribe to a landlord...
"), and the housing agent fee can also easily reach six months' rent; this is non-refundable and must be paid in advance. In summary, becoming independent involves large expenses, work, and a significant drop in living standard. Furthermore, as the vast majority of the Japanese population is concentrated in cities, all the employment and entertainment options desired are within reach from the parental home.
The economic advantages are enjoyed by all types of parasite singles, although there are different subgroups within the group of parasite singles. Career oriented young salarymen
Salaryman
refers to someone whose income is salary based; particularly those working for corporations. Its frequent use by Japanese corporations, and its prevalence in Japanese manga and anime has gradually led to its acceptance in English-speaking countries as a noun for a Japanese white-collar...
and office ladies
Office lady
An office lady, often abbreviated OL , is a female office worker in Japan who performs generally pink collar tasks such as serving tea and secretarial or clerical work. Like many unmarried Japanese, OLs often live with their parents well into early adulthood...
could afford to live on their own, but prefer the additional financial benefits, and perhaps the company and security, of living at their parents' homes. Other adult children have difficulty finding steady employment in the current difficult economic situation. Often, they can only find part time and low-paid jobs, turning into underemployed so-called freeters
Freeters
is a Japanese expression for people between the ages of 15 and 34 who lack full time employment or are unemployed, excluding housewives and students...
who cannot afford to live independently, disregarding if they would like to, or not. Finally, some adult children just do not want to face the competition of the outside world at all, and do not seek work at all, and in extreme situations, they do not even want to leave their parents' house. These children are referred to as hikikomori
Hikikomori
is a Japanese term to refer to the phenomenon of reclusive people who have chosen to withdraw from social life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement because of various personal and social factors in their lives...
(people who withdraw from society, literally to "withdraw into seclusion").
Genda Yuji, associate Professor of the Institute of Social Science (University of Tokyo
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
), shifted the responsibility about the rise of parasite singles, proposing a socioeconomic driven view, strongly connected to the collapse of bubble economy and the inability of the country's employment system to react after the crisis:
Effects
One possible side effect of the parasite single phenomenon is the increase of the average age of the first marriage (though this is also attributable to other factors like career prospects and education). While in 1970 women married on average at age 24 and men at age 27, this has increased to 27.4 years for women and 29 years for men in 2002. This has also resulted in women having children later in life, and fewer children overall due to the decline in fertilityFertility
Fertility is the natural capability of producing offsprings. As a measure, "fertility rate" is the number of children born per couple, person or population. Fertility differs from fecundity, which is defined as the potential for reproduction...
after age 30. Subsequently, while in 1983 there were on average 1.8 children born to every woman over her lifetime, this has decreased to 1.22 children per woman in 2008.
Many parasite singles work, often having successful careers and considerable income, yet relatively few contribute to the living expenses of the parents' household. Subsequently, they have a large amount of disposable income, and few needs for durable goods. It is said that the spending habits of parasite singles is good for the economy, but others point out that they would also have to spend the money if they were living alone, except less for luxury items and more for essential expenses. In effect, the sales of durable goods (refrigerators, furniture, washing machines) in Japan is steadily declining, whereas the sales of luxury goods, especially brand name items like Gucci
Gucci
The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci , is an Italian fashion and leather goods label, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by French company PPR...
, Prada
Prada
Prada S.p.A. is an Italian fashion label specializing in luxury goods for men and women , founded by Mario Prada.-Foundations:...
, Hermès
Hermès
Hermès International S.A., or simply Hermès is a French high fashion house established in 1837, today specializing in leather, lifestyle accessories, perfumery, luxury goods, and ready-to-wear...
, Dior
Dior
Dior can mean:* Christian Dior SA, a French clothing retailer* In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth legendarium:**Dior Eluchíl, a Half-elven of the First Age**Dior , a Steward of GondorDior is a surname, and may refer to:...
, Givenchy
Givenchy
Givenchy is a French brand of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics with Parfums Givenchy.The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter...
and especially Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...
is booming. Overall, the effect for the economy of Japan
Economy of Japan
The economy of Japan, a free market economy, is the third largest in the world after the United States and the People's Republic of China, and ahead of Germany at 4th...
is only a slightly different demand pattern, except for the money leaving Japan due to overseas holidays and import products.
Another effect is a possible reduction in the price of real estate and rental cost due to the increasing number of people per household.
Controversy
Parasite singles are often blamed for a large number of problems in Japan, ranging from a decline in the birth rate over the economic recession to the increase in crime. Professor Tenki Yamada claims that the "spoiled" women that grew up during the bubble economy are particularly to blame. However, many people also feel that the young adults have no option but to become parasite singles in the current difficult economic situation, having to choose between career and family.See also
- Boomerang GenerationBoomerang GenerationBoomerang Generation is one of several terms applied to the current generation of young adults in Western culture. They are so named for the frequency with which they choose to cohabitate with their parents after a brief period of living on their own–thus boomeranging back to their place of origin...
- AmaeAmaeAmae is a Japanese word coined from the verb amaeru by Takeo Doi to serve as a noun, which he then used as a keyword to unlock, analytically, the behavior of a person attempting to induce an authority figure, such as a parent, spouse, teacher or boss, to take care of him...
- FreetersFreetersis a Japanese expression for people between the ages of 15 and 34 who lack full time employment or are unemployed, excluding housewives and students...
- NEETNEETNEET is a government acronym for people currently "not in education, employment, or training". It was first used in the United Kingdom but its use has spread to other countries, including Japan, China, and South Korea...
- Wiktionary:NEET
- HikikomoriHikikomoriis a Japanese term to refer to the phenomenon of reclusive people who have chosen to withdraw from social life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement because of various personal and social factors in their lives...
- Sub-replacement fertilitySub-replacement fertilitySub-replacement fertility is a total fertility rate that leads to each new generation being less populous than the previous one in a given area. In developed countries sub-replacement fertility is any rate below approximately 2.1 children born per woman, but the threshold can be as high as 3.4...
- TwixterTwixterTwixter is a neologism that describes a new generation of Americans who are trapped, in a sense, betwixt adolescence and adulthood. This Western neologism is somewhat analogous to the Japanese term parasite single.-Behavior:...
- Working women in Japan