Don’t know what the hell that means? Don’t worry, it’s the latest bit of pop-psych/marketing-jargon spinning through the interwebs, sowing anxiety & generating press coverage.

Basically, the idea is that a growing number of young Japanese men (approximately 20-34) are becoming less “masculine.” Cuz, you know, masculinity = testosterone = conspicuous, carnivorous, MEAT/BEEF consumption. That’s why advertising people like using American cowboy imagery to sell lots of macho manly things like cigarettes and um, wars.

Aaaanyway, Japanese pop-culture columnist Maki Fukasawa coined the term soshoku-kei danshi (which translates as “grass-eating man,” i.e., herbivore man) way back in 2006:

“In Japan, sex is translated as ‘relationship in flesh,’” she said, “so I named those boys ‘herbivorous boys’ since they are not interested in flesh.” [CNN]

 

So who are these flesh-averse young men? Are you one? Use this handy check-list to find out!

Herbivore men:

• Lack ambition at work
• Lack self-confidence
• Prefer to avoid competition
• Don’t set life-goals or aspire to higher achievement
• Are not interested in love, sex, dating and marriage
• Are not big-spenders (even cheap), and want to save for the future
• Care a lot about fashion, their hair, and personal care [Sources: Anxietyindex, Reuters]

Sounds a lot like those crying doucheba – I mean, sensitive emo boys – of the 90s/early-00s, doesn’t it? But as over 50% of young Japanese men self-identify as “herbivore men,” this catchy bit of trend-spotting appears to have greater significance. According to Anxietyindex.com:

There’s much debate as to the roots of this trend, but a common theme is the link to anxiety. These men have bleak economic prospects—they grew up after Japan’s bubble economy burst in the late ’80s and have never known what it’s like to live in good economic times…when these young men look to the future, they don’t see much to be hopeful for.

As a result, they are simply turning away. Without work, status or life goals from which to draw self-esteem, they tend to focus on their appearance and their hobbies. Noncommittal in their relationships with women and unwilling to go through the “hassles” of wooing a mate, their sexual drive tends to be satisfied virtually.

That site then goes on to talk about marketing opportunities with this demographic, and, of course, a site named anxietyindex would pin-point the source of this trend in cultural anxiety. But with CNN, Reuters, and many more news outlets jumping on this story, watch out for microphone-wielding journalists swarming all over every young man in Tokyo.

I guess we’re not above the fray…I mean, this blog post is riding the bandwagon too. But if you’re a young Japanese kid, tell us what you think. And even if you’re not —  isn’t the lack of economic opportunity a fear faced by all young people everywhere right now?

 

By the way, this (Shugo-esque herbivores) is what our Segment Producer Lika crushes on. Hard.

Shugo on MTV Iggy: performance, interview, more. Shugo keeps a dream diary…I think he counts.