Japanese Feaatures Pazzling Practice Soceity and Customs

Parasite Singles

Have you ever heard of the term "parasite singles"?   

Photo by Egor Kamelev used under CC

If you have, you might have thought of inconsistency in Japanese child-rearing practices while reading our previous post "Immature Young Adults."  As explained there, parents are NOT expected to attend their children's university entrance ceremony because parents should treat their children as an adult at the age 18.  On the other hand, parents allow their "parasite singles" to be dependent on them even after the singles get mature enough to lead their own lives.

"Parasite singles" are unmarried adults who live on their parents even when they are ready to be independent!!

They seem very strange from the viewpoints of most Americans, who are supposed to lead their independent life when they become an adult.  Some "parasite singles" do not have a means to support themselves.  Others can often afford to make their own living, but choose to live with their parents for their convenience.  Even professional adults over 35 years of age are tolerated to stay at their parents' house.

Parents take care of their children by making meals and doing the laundry for them.   "Parasite singles" enjoy such luxury as these domestic services and left-over free time which should have been spent on these household chores. They do not even have to pay a rent for their own apartment.  One big drawback for them is probably that they do not seem to have a privacy.  They have to rent a room in a so-called "love hotel" when they need private moments with their boy/girl friends or professional "services".  Other than that, they could take a great advantage of living with their parents.

An extreme example of "parasite singles" is a 50-year-old single lady who lives with her brother's family, as well as her parents, at her parents' house.  She might sometimes feel uncomfortable about living with her sister-in-law, but she chooses her parasite life over an independent life.  Her sister-in-law and/or mother cook for her and do the laundry for her.  All she has to do is pay $300 or so per month as a "rent" and for all these domestic services and food.  She can use the rest of her salary for her leisure activities, such as travelling abroad or going to a beauty salon to maintain her youth.

Don't you find such a parasite life attractive, or very strange?  

If you are interested in reading young adult mentality and behaviors, please check "Immature Young Adults"!!