Index
1. Introduction
The contemporary society in which we live is an age in which individual values are emphasized. As technology evolves and society diversifies, individual freedom and choice become increasingly important. At the same time, however, we continue to be influenced by various forms of “brainwashing. Influences coming from old systems and institutions, such as education, companies, and social “norms,” are limiting our time and our lives.
This article explores how to free ourselves from brainwashing in the “age of the individual” and how to live freely in our own time. It examines how we can regain the pure curiosity we had as children, explore our own lives, and live for ourselves. And in today’s information-overloaded society, we will propose means to select and utilize appropriate information.
Living a life centered on “what you want to do” may be what it means to live in the “age of the individual. In the final section, we propose concrete steps to achieve this.
2. Modern Society and the Age of the Individual
Modern society is in the midst of major changes due to the development of information technology and the spread of the Internet. Of particular note amidst these changes is the advent of the “age of the individual,” in which individual freedom and individuality, as well as their value, are emphasized. We are moving from a society that has emphasized collectivism to one in which the individuality and abilities of each person are valued.
The Internet makes it possible to communicate with people around the world and to easily obtain a wide variety of information. This has made it easier for individuals to express themselves and share their unique perspectives and values. A society is being formed in which each individuality and point of view is valued and diversity is respected.
At the same time, however, the very structure of society has not fully adapted to the “age of the individual. In the fields of education and labor, there is often a tendency to evaluate individuals based on uniform evaluation standards and rules, and to limit their abilities and potential. Such systems are not appropriate in the “age of the individual.
In particular, the educational system often focuses on teaching certain learning content in the same way to all students, rather than developing the abilities and talents of each student to the fullest extent. In the “age of the individual,” however, education must enable each student to maximize his or her own abilities and talents.
Similarly in the field of labor, companies and organizations are not able to fully utilize the abilities and talents of each employee. In many cases, the emphasis is on following the rules and policies of the organization, which tends to stifle the creativity and free thinking of individual employees.
3. Interest and education: A system that has not evolved
The educational system in today’s society continues to exist in a form that is tied to traditions and systems of the past. These have become interests, and rather than meeting the diverse demands of today, they have become impediments to them. In public education, in particular, the influence of politics and interests is strong, and the emphasis is on conforming the whole to a certain form rather than on developing the individuality and abilities of each student. Discipline and cooperation are emphasized, students have to put up with things they do not want to do, and doing what they want to do is often misunderstood as self-centered.
However, we live in an information society today, and the era of seeking only one correct answer is already a thing of the past. It is now necessary for each student to maximize his or her abilities and talents, and to learn in a way that makes the most of their individuality. However, the current educational system does not meet these modern needs.
In addition, the current educational system’s excessive emphasis on grades has reduced the quality of education itself. As a result, students tend to prioritize test results over pursuing their own interests and curiosities. This is to say that we have lost sight of the original purpose of education, which is to enable each student to pursue his or her own talents and potential, and to nurture the ability to contribute to society.
At the same time, we strongly feel the need for educational reform. What we are looking for is an education that allows students to pursue their interests and curiosity and maximize their potential. This is the kind of educational system that is appropriate for the “age of the individual” we desire.
4. Time and Life Deprived by School and Work
Much of our lives are shaped by the time we spend at school and at work. These places take up the majority of our time and energy, and they are often consumed by days spent chasing grades and performance goals. Exams at school and performance reviews at work put so much pressure on us that those results take the place of self-worth.
The education we have received since childhood requires us to grow within a narrow framework. At the heart of our education are grades, knowledge, and cooperation. This often leads to neglect of the truly important aspects of learning, such as curiosity, inquisitiveness, independence, energy, and individuality. In particular, the strong social pressure for examinations and university entrance exams deprives students of the opportunity for free thinking and ideas, leading to an education that only pursues results.
Once in society, this pattern repeats itself in the workplace. Bound by organizational goals and expectations, it becomes difficult to live one’s own time and life. The pressures of routine work and performance reviews rob one of the opportunity to transform one’s time into something of value.
This phenomenon is especially critical in today’s “age of the individual. We should use our time and our lives for ourselves and to maximize our potential. To this end, we should continue to think and learn deeply about how we should live our time and how to reach our full potential.
However, excessive pressure in schools and workplaces stifles individual self-expression and creativity. Time spent in these places often limits individual “individuality” and “freedom. As a result, opportunities to realize one’s full potential are lost, and the growth and development of society as a whole is hindered.
Thinking deeply about the importance of free time and how to obtain it is essential as we live in the “age of the individual. We need to deeply understand how we use our time and how we should live. It is also important to seek and learn how to make the best use of our time.
5. The Meaning and Importance of Living Our Time
Our time is our own. And it is a resource that is very precious and cannot be regained. That is why how we use our time of self is directly related to the quality of our life. How we spend our time on self can make a huge difference in our life satisfaction, achievement, and meaning.
Yet, living within the confines of school, work, and other institutions, we often forget how important it is to use our time for ourselves. In the midst of our jam-packed schedules, we can lose sight of the meaning and importance of living our own time.
Living one’s time is about pursuing one’s own curiosity, satisfying one’s own needs, and pursuing one’s own passions. It is the foundation for self-actualization and growth, which in turn greatly determines individual life satisfaction and success.
Maximizing one’s personal time not only increases opportunities for personal growth and self-expression, but also enhances one’s sense of well-being and satisfaction. How one uses one’s personal time is an important factor in realizing one’s individual talents and potential and maximizing one’s self-worth.
6. Curiosity and freedom of action: rekindling the pure inquisitiveness of childhood
Childhood was a time of inexhaustible energy and innocent curiosity, when we explored the world without constraint and actively learned new things. However, as we grow up, this innocent curiosity gradually fades as social expectations, responsibilities, and even fears increase. The combination of these factors limits and in part inhibits our learning, growth, and creativity.
The concept of “individual power and action toward freedom” refers to regaining lost curiosity, gaining confidence in one’s own power, and embodying the courage to follow one’s own path. It is about having the power to act based on one’s own values and goals, unbound by the expectations of others or the norms of society.
In order to develop the power of the individual and promote action toward freedom, we must begin with self-understanding. A clear understanding of what you value and what your goals are is the first step. You must then act true to your values and goals and maximize your own potential. This is no easy task, but through this challenge, one’s own strength is continually deepened, expanded, and formed.
7. The Positive Circle Created by Pursuing Your Passion
Many people are trapped in the notion that they cannot live without working and use this as the standard for their lives. However, this results in endurance, dissatisfaction, and stress, and opportunities to pursue self-realization are lost. What I would like to propose is a way of life that places “what you want to do” at the center of your life.
The perspective of putting “what you want to do” at the center of one’s life means placing activities that make you feel passionate and give you joy at the center of your daily life. This is the path to self-realization and an important step in the pursuit of true satisfaction and happiness.
However, it is also true that this is not easy. This is because we are bound by the values and expectations of society and lose sight of our own true desires. It involves the challenge of understanding ourselves deeply.
That is why the approach of placing “what we want to do” at the center of our lives respects our sense of self-worth and allows us to maximize our own potential. It is a lifestyle appropriate for the “age of the individual,” and has the potential to open up new paths for the pursuit of individual freedom and happiness.
Furthermore, this way of life not only greatly reduces one’s own stress and leads to self-satisfaction, but also positively affects one’s feelings toward others. As one’s own dissatisfaction and stress decrease, negative feelings toward others will naturally decrease accordingly. This creates a virtuous cycle of inner satisfaction and harmony with society.
8. Information Selection and Conversion to Action in Today’s Information Overloaded Society
The modern age in which we live is often referred to as “the age of information overload” or “the age of knowledge explosion. Advances in the Internet have made it possible for us to access vast amounts of information regardless of our location or time. At the same time, however, the sea of information contains not only valuable information, but also misinformation, useless information, and potentially misleading information. In such a situation, the key challenge we face is which information to select, how to use it, and how to act on it.
What exactly does appropriate information selection mean? It refers to the ability to identify and select useful and reliable information in line with one’s goals and values. It is part of information literacy, or the ability to accurately analyze, critique, and use information effectively. Information that may seem useful at first glance is merely part of the information storm if it does not align with one’s goals and values.
The next important step is to use the selected information and convert it into action. Information is not just data; it is something that should be combined with your own knowledge and experience and reflected in your own actions and decisions. It involves not only collecting information, but also the process of understanding it, adapting it to one’s own life and work, and transforming it into new ideas and insights that can then be acted upon.
In other words, in this age of information overload, we need to be able to not only find truly valuable information and reflect it in our own actions and decision-making, but also to take concrete action based on that information. To achieve this, the three skills of information selection, information utilization, and conversion to action are indispensable, and today’s society demands that these skills be honed.
9. Summary: Specific steps for living in the age of the individual
- Respect for individual values: It is important to respect one’s own values without being bound by the general social framework. This allows one to freely control one’s own time and life.
- Free time: By streamlining time management in our daily lives, we can create free time that can be used for personal growth and hobbies.
- Rekindling curiosity: Keep your curiosity for new things alive to continue personal growth and learning. The pure inquisitiveness of childhood will lead to new discoveries and creativity.
- Improve your ability to select information: In today’s information-overloaded society, you must have the skill to identify and select useful and reliable information. It is also important to reflect the selected information in one’s actions and decision-making.
- Build your life around what you want to do: By putting what you really want to do at the center of your life, you can achieve self-actualization. This allows for the pursuit of individual happiness and personal growth.
These steps will provide pointers for freely controlling one’s own life and living a prosperous life in the “age of the individual. Please make active use of these steps to pursue self-realization and realize a happy life.