The Sociology of "Komu-sho" (Communication Disorder)

2018/07/18

The other day, a student said to me, "Professor, do you know what a 'Yo-tomo' is?" They explained it is "a relationship where you don't know each other as deeply as friends, but you say 'Yo' to each other when you meet." When I asked, "What's that about?" I got an interesting answer.

"Right? I don't get it either. Even if I ask 'Who's that?', they're just like 'Oh, just someone I know,' and they might not even know their name. But they say 'Yo' when they see each other. Then, the person with them thinks, 'Wow, they have a lot of friends.' It's like they're acquaintances almost just for that purpose."

"I just don't see the point. What's the meaning of a friend you only greet without even being close? I have three or four people at university I can actually talk to, and I think it's fine not to have many friends. But when I see people saying 'Yo' to each other, I start to wonder if I have too few. And if the person I always have lunch with is absent, I'm like, 'Oh no, what do I do?'"

It was a casual conversation, but it struck a chord with me. In the image of young people seeking validation by showing off how many friends they have, I felt a strangely realistic manifestation of the recent trend of placing excessive value on so-called "communication skills." It seemed to represent a part of the invisible suffocating feeling individuals face in modern society—and by extension, the mystery of the "connection between the individual and society"—which cannot be dismissed simply by saying "young people these days have superficial relationships."

In this book, I explored the "friction individuals feel when connecting with society" through keywords such as "communication skills," "school refusal," "hikikomori (social withdrawal)," and "the parties involved." I began my research on the "connection between children/youth and society" using my own experience of school refusal as a starting point. This book is based on manuscripts I have written over the past 13 years, from my time as a graduate student to the present.

I wanted to put a stop to the crude labeling of "That guy has a communication disorder" or "I have a communication disorder," and instead explore ways to engage thoughtfully with others and society. I hope you will pick up a copy.

The Sociology of "Komu-sho" (Communication Disorder)

Rie Kido (Author)

Seidosha

296 pages, 1,800 yen (excluding tax)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of writing.