prolog

Chapter 1.
A guide for those lost on the road
: How to survive in a zombie movie without dying

A society where people gather together and chatter loudly (without listening to what others say)
ㆍModern people judge and decide on their own.
The less self-doubt a person has, the more peaceful he or she is.
We live like people who die early in zombie movies.
Modern people are surrounded by immediate and fragmentary stimuli.
ㆍThere is a need to leave the mystery as a mystery.
ㆍDistinguish between 'relief' and 'stuffiness'
ㆍThe path we must take in the future
The 'adventure' of doubting oneself

[Column] Mass Society Theory, Media Theory, and Object Relations Theory

Chapter 2.
A philosophy for not thinking for yourself
: The power to think based on the problem-solving methods of geniuses

ㆍIs philosophy thinking for oneself?
Even philosophers watch Netflix and wear Dr. Martens.
ㆍIf you think about it yourself, the output is ordinary.
ㆍCaution is more important than strength.
ㆍLearn thinking skills like learning how to walk in the forest
A world that doesn't revolve around questions and answers
The two wheels of knowledge and imagination
ㆍ2,500 years of problem-solving skills are mine
ㆍWhy you shouldn't try to understand too quickly
Two common mistakes made when learning philosophy
ㆍLet's learn before we unlearn.
Sensemaking also requires knowledge and imagination.
ㆍHaving a rich imagination means having a wide repertoire of imagination.
ㆍLet various people live inside me
ㆍThree things to keep in mind when exploring philosophy

[Column] The Pragmatist Perspective

Chapter 3.
The 'solitude' lost while connected
: Philosophy of the smartphone age

ㆍOur society changed by smartphones
ㆍForgotten senses in the 'always-on society'
Loss of 'solitude' - People distracted by reflexive communication
The attention economy and smartphones are stealing our focus.
Loss of 'solitude' - people who cannot be with themselves
ㆍYou can become 'lonely' in 'isolation' - Hannah Arendt's philosophy
Where have 'solitude' and 'loneliness' gone?
Solitude to be properly hurt
ㆍIf you don't want to suppress your emotions
Solitude is necessary even when you are happy.
People who fill their free time with yet another multitasking activity
Smartphones slow down our ability to understand emotions.
ㆍTo not suppress your senses - Lesson 1 of Enter the Dragon
The true meaning of “Don’t think, feel!” - Lesson 2 of Enter the Dragon
Don't be distracted by your fingertips - Lesson 3 from Enter the Dragon

[Column] Rediscovering the Value of Solitude and Isolation

Chapter 4.
How to Create Solitude and Hobbies
: A conversation brought about by passive receptivity

People who are anxious about being left out
ㆍEmotions are not as simple as instant.
ㆍWe are swayed by loneliness - Thinking through 〈Evangelion〉, Part 1
ㆍHow to deal with loneliness, hobbies - Thinking through Evangelion, Part 2
ㆍThere are many people inside me - Thinking with Evangelion, Part 3
Hobbies Bring Loneliness - Thinking Through Evangelion, Part 4
ㆍA hobby is a conversation with riddles - Thinking through Evangelion, Part 5
ㆍA conversation between 'the written me' and 'the me who rewrites'
ㆍSelf-dialogue that begins when creating something
ㆍRemake it over and over again until you are satisfied with it.
ㆍThe ability to embrace 'uncertainty'
ㆍPassive acceptance that transcends time
ㆍWhat we need to live with uncertainty
ㆍAttitude of self-doubt, passive acceptance
ㆍThe study of philosophy is the cultivation of passive receptivity.
ㆍBeing with uncertainty in solitude

[Column] Why Weave Culture and Philosophy Together

Chapter 5.
A society that tries to forget boredom through a busy daily life

Is an Active Daily Life Empty? - Pascal and the Philosophy of Mood Change
People who turn away from boredom and anxiety
The coronavirus that has robbed us of our "change of mood."
ㆍThe boredom and anxiety that lie dormant in your heart
We cannot live properly without raising our motivation.
ㆍIs mental health an individual's responsibility?
The relationship between the need for constant growth and mental health
Steve Jobs' advice doesn't help.
ㆍDon't follow the voice of your heart
The dangers of "following your heart" as taught by Chekhov
Flexible work styles are good for self-development (but they don't save people).
Excessive concern for oneself interferes with self-talk.
ㆍInterest in oneself is compatible with the attention economy (in a bad way).

[Column] Existence and Loneliness in the Post-Fordist Era

Chapter 6.
Boredom is a sign that something needs to change.

ㆍImmerse yourself in 'pleasurable languor' to cope with anxiety
ㆍA soft coma brought on by a smartphone
ㆍFeeling bored when away from stimulation
ㆍStop focusing and jump into something simple and attractive.
ㆍThe complex entity called mood
ㆍThe voice of the mind is not always 'positive'
ㆍThe gap that makes us uncomfortable
ㆍChanges in sensation are signals to change behavior.
ㆍAttitude toward facing boredom
ㆍEstablish a self-governing area and enjoy solitude.
ㆍSometimes, hobbies bring back painful memories.
ㆍYou can only become affectionate by facing 'suffering'.
The process of facing the past is important - the movie "Drive My Car"
ㆍWe are forced to change flexibly in a harsh environment.
ㆍWe are always imperfect
ㆍHumans want to know because they do not know perfectly.
ㆍThe joy of continuing to learn, philosophy

[Column] A Combination of Existentialism, Object Relations Theory, and Consumer Society Theory

Epilogue
Reviews
Americas

Stopped in the middle of life
The power of philosophy that awakens us

In this book, Yoshihiro Tanigawa, a young Japanese philosopher, says that we need two things in our lives: solitude and philosophy.
But in an age where clarity and immediacy are considered virtues, is there any field more remote than philosophy? Because "time is money," anything difficult, ambiguous, or time-consuming tends to recede from people's attention.
Oh, it might be different if it's a video with a title like "3-minute summary! Just watch this."
Modern people have a desire to understand everything easily.
This desire is precisely why self-improvement and short-form content are gaining popularity over philosophy and reasoning, which require persistence and sustained strength.
If you pursue what is quick and easy, you will end up only taking what you want to see and hear, and you will end up falling into stubbornness and dogmatism.
The author says that in this age where it is easy to become absorbed in oneself, 'philosophy' is even more necessary.


“Everyone only cares about themselves, they think that a world where only they feel good is enough, and they are too busy caring about their own opinions and image.
They confidently comment on experts without questioning their own opinions, and even those who believe in pseudoscience come up with ridiculous theories and say, "Tsk tsk, you must be so lacking in information," and treat scientists like idiots.
“It seems as if we have lost interest in other people and the world.” (pp. 31-32)

Philosophy cracks the narrow-minded thinking we have.
It breaks down stubbornness and dogmatism and opens the way for imagination and wisdom to flow in.
Moreover, contrary to its reputation as an ambiguous discipline, philosophy, which has addressed the problems and conflicts facing our times, solves problems and changes our perspective on the world when it deeply penetrates our lives.
As Epictetus likened philosophy to a hospital, the reason we need philosophy is to treat problems that arise.
Just as we cannot live our entire lives without getting sick or injured, philosophy is also like a hospital, which is essential even if it is not needed right now.

“For modern people who are accustomed to information that is as easily consumed as processed food, philosophy feels increasingly unfamiliar and difficult.
We are losing the ability to think deeply.
The author introduces philosophy not as a simple academic discipline, but as a tool for looking at life.
Rather than struggling to find the right answer, it's about thinking it through to the end, and sometimes carrying uncomfortable questions with you.
“Philosophy thus helps us regain the power of thought we have lost.” (From the recommendation)

In that sense, 『Connected But Lonely People』 becomes a starting point for looking at life from a philosophical perspective.
Let's stop ignoring the anxieties and worries we feel in life and face them head-on through the stories of philosophers.


How did we lose our solitude?
We have forgotten how to be ourselves

As the poet said, “Everyone was sick, but no one was sick,” modern people have many problems that are rarely revealed.
Among them, author Yoshihiro Tanigawa points out that 'loneliness has been lost'.
When we say 'solitude', we tend to think of 'loneliness', but many philosophers, including Hannah Arendt, have distinguished between the two.
Loneliness is 'a state of wanting to depend on others even though I am surrounded by many people,' while solitude is 'a way of existing with myself in silence.'
The author says that what modern people suffering from loneliness need to regain is 'solitude.'
So how did we become lonely and lose our solitude?

“What we have lost (are about to lose) here is ‘solitude.’
People cannot stand boredom and crave stimulation and communication.
It also means that you cannot be with yourself.
“The word ‘solitude’ implies the importance of spending time alone, without seeking stimulation or reacting to others.” (p. 144)

It's easy to understand when we look back at ourselves, unable to put our phones down day or night.
This era can be called the 'smartphone era', as our dependence on them is growing, to the point where we spend only a few hours a day looking away from screens such as smartphones or tablet PCs.
In addition, our unquenchable passion for self-improvement leaves us no room for loneliness.
Modern people literally fill their schedules without rest and constantly motivate themselves, as if they can't stand not doing anything, such as 'God's Life', 'Miracle Morning', and 'Side Project'.
It's not that it's 'fun', but rather that they're afraid of facing the anxieties and worries of life in the silence, so they turn their attention to the wrong places, such as short, intense stimulation, entertainment, and multitasking.
Meanwhile, our inner selves and emotions were neglected.
People who don't know how to be alone end up falling into deep depression because they can't properly process the emotions they feel from major events in their lives, and they sometimes feel deeply regretful about their lives that feel like a shell.
The author painfully criticizes these portraits of modern people through this book.

How can I regain my solitude?
How to start a conversation with me

Solitude is necessary for everyone because it allows us to step out from the crowd and look inside ourselves.
Some people have to fully experience and digest the great happiness that comes with having a child, while others have to fully experience the great shock and sadness that comes with losing a loved one.
It is an essential element for leading a healthy life and for building healthy relationships with others.
In this book, the author introduces various ways to bring about loneliness in everyday life, and among them, the method that is dealt with in depth is none other than 'hobby'.
A 'hobby' allows for isolation and solitude because it is an area where one can be free from the distractions of others and is not done for profit or reputation.
When we create or grow something as a hobby, we are carrying on an unspoken conversation with that object.
This book uses writing and gardening as examples. When we garden, we don't know everything about the size and speed of the crops.
Because we don't know whether or not it will bear fruit safely, we examine the stems and leaves and go through trial and error.

“This means that through creation, that is, through the hobby of ‘making something and growing something,’ we must constantly go back and forth between ‘self’ and ‘other’ and have a continuous dialogue with ourselves.
“It can be said that hobbies lead directly to solitude, because thinking (self-talk) becomes possible in solitude.” (p. 210)

“At this time, the ‘something’ we create appears before us as an ‘other’ (question).
When we create or grow something, it means that the object exists outside of us while being connected to us.
So when we write poetry or grow watermelons, we ask the poetry and the watermelons many questions.
“The act of figuring out what questions the ‘something’ you create poses to you is inextricably linked to your hobby.” (p. 211)

That is, through hobbies, we accept that there are areas we do not understand, and we anticipate and imagine the possibilities that uncertainty brings.
It is a process of adopting a different way of life from the one that pursues simple and clear answers.
In addition, through the methods of "solitude" introduced by the author, we hope to escape the dangers of stubbornness and dogmatism, grow step by step, and live in bonds with those around us.