Hikikomori

A fascinating article about the hikikomori, a group of Japanese teens and twentysomethings (mostly males) who shut themselves away in their rooms, sometimes for as long as 15 years. The factors? Insane amounts of pressure to succeed at school, an acute uncertainty about future job prospects and security (due to Japan’s recent economy), and parental affluence (middle-class parents can afford to support a shut-in for years).