It’s hard to really get a grasp of the economic situation these days because everyone is living in completely different realities and not everything is transparent.
Some people have secret savings and investments.
Some people have smaller salaries with big bonuses or commission.
If we have friends overseas we have different living costs.
Some earn in stronger currencies and some in weaker currencies.
Some people have side gigs.
Some are self employed.
Some are expected to pay more taxes and some receive tax benefits.
Some rent and some are home owners.
Some are getting hit harder by inflation than others based on various factors.
Here I am in my rented apartment, jealous of all the homeowners, when one of my students told me that the yearly taxes she pays on her house increase to 8000 USD a year. That’s nearly same price as my rent! Imagine paying the same amount for your own place that you owned as someone who’s renting the place. To be fair her house is probably twice the size, but it was still a shock.
Another two students work in fashion, and while their salary is not bad, because of the depreciating yen, the company is losing profits in Japan. And so the office place is becoming a cutthroat fight to the death. They working more and more overtime, and many people have been laid off already. And so they may be richer than average, but they could lose it at any moment.
I know people who had massive investments in stocks that have performed poorly. Everyone assumes they are rich but soon they may have to sell at a massive loss.
One friend earns US dollars and works remotely, and he’s living like a king.
I am a sole proprietor, and so I pay more taxes than most company employees, and so I have burdens that most people don’t imagine.
A few friends started businesses recently and for a while we were trying to figure out how they could manage to do that. Eventually we realize that they probably got help from their parents, as I imagine is the case to with many small business owners these days in East Asia.
I know some people who live very well, but they have mountains of debt. I know others who are very little but managed to make the most of their money or to budget in ways that allow them to live the way they want. I know others who are little and can’t afford to do that.
Apparently Japan gives grants to artists and other independent businesses but not everyone can receive those, I was surprised to learn that to artist friends travel the country with government money, in other words, my tax money.
Meanwhile Japan is giving more and more benefits to parents of children, regardless of their income. Some people see this as a positive thing because they can have kids more easily, but from my perspective it’s pretty ridiculous if an average income can’t even allow you to take care of kids and to rely on the government for that is ridiculous
I’m not against all forms of aid, but I think they should be reserved for people in the absolute worst situations. They shouldn’t be a required part of having a decent life in the city.
I saw a house in the countryside three times bigger than my apartment that cost half the money and rent. I got excited and thought maybe I could move somewhere like that, but then I realize that I would need a car and a license, and the transportation there is very difficult because it’s in the mountains. If you like is built around that kind of community it works, but if you have business in the city it could be very hard.
I see a lot of non-Japanese talking about ultra cheap houses in the Japanese countryside. What they failed to mention is that the cost of renovation is usually 3 to 5 times more expensive than the initial cost to buy the house. Japanese houses aren’t built to last, and they don’t make very good investments. It’s kind of a foolish thing to do if you’re not actually going to use the space.
I would like to use the space however but I’m still waiting for the resources and the right timing. My goal is to be able to move back-and-forth between the city and the countryside every few weeks or even once or twice a week.
originally I was on schedule to have this goal accomplished by now, or even three or four years ago, but because of the pandemic and the horrendous economy, I’m not sure when I’ll have a chance. Maybe when crypto recovers and reaches new all-time highs.
Of course if I do manage to buy a house a lot of people think I’m much richer than I am.
As social norms crumble and fade away, it becomes harder and harder to imagine how other people are living unless you talk to them and trust each other enough to be transparent with each other.
Still, one thing that I think most people don’t realize is that money isn’t the only form of currency. Reputation, skills, and achievements can also do a lot for you. If people know that you have good intentions and that you add a lot of value to the community, they tend to help you out more. If they know that you don’t only have your own interest in mind and let you look for a win-win situation’s you may find yourself with a free place to stay or resources to use that don’t necessarily belong to you.
many goals can also be achieve much easier in groups, of course building that kind of trust and collaborating in a way that makes everything very clear is a challenge and takes practice and the right kind of people, but if you manage to bring those people together you can do all sorts of things that would’ve been impossible by yourself.
I know restaurants that were started as group projects, alternative schools that were put together by a group of friends because they weren’t happy with the public or private schools around them. I’ve seen pay what you want restaurants and cafés and volunteer system swear you can join events that are way above your budget by doing a little work to contribute.
As the old systems crumble, it’s important to be flexible and learn new ways to make the most of what you have, to pull resources and to build trust among your community.
I’m optimistic in the long run, I just hope the next few years allow us, who are forward thinking to start on the many beautiful projects and plans we have in our mind, despite the instability and uncertainty.
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If you haven’t seen my new music video, go check it out!
“Art vs. Artist” by I+Everything MV