The Rise of 草食系男子 (Soushokukei Danshi) Masculinity and Consumption in Contemporary Japan: A Historic and Discursive Analysis. Steven Chen. In book: Gender, Culture and Consumption. Cele Otnes, Linda Zayer (eds.). January 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307108482
Abstract: In Soushoku Danshi Sedai Heisei Danshi Zukan (Handbook of Man in the Heisei Period), Maki Fukasawa (2009) coins the term soushokukei danshi (“grass-eating type men” or “herbivore men”) to describe heterosexual Japanese men who lack ambition, engage in feminine consumption practices, and shirk relationships with the opposite sex. Typically young men between the ages of 20 and 34, soushokukei danshi are less status conscious than men from previous generations; rather than pursue corporate careers, they prefer lower paying, less demanding jobs. A key marker of soushokukei danshi is their feminized consumption practices, which include shopping, beautification practices, and fine dining. Rather than pursue relationships with women, they prefer being alone playing video games and surfing the Internet. As a result of their consumption practices, the popular media labels them “girly men” or “ladylike.” Soushokukei danshi are not social deviants, but rather an emergent form of Japanese masculinity. In Japan, aggressive masculinities embodied by the salaryman and nikushokukei danshi (“meat-eating type men” or “carnivore men”) represent masculine ideals, but a shift in masculine values is under way (Dasgupta, 2009). According to a 2009 study conducted by M1 F1 Soken, a marketing research firm, 60% of unmarried Japanese men between the ages of 20 and 34 identify themselves as soushokukei danshi. The finding that many Japanese men associate themselves with “feminized” masculinity is notable in a society that was once considered the most masculine in the world.
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Soushokukei danshi consumption practices echo those of Western
metrosexuals (Rinallo, 2007; Simpson, 2002; Tuncay, 2006; Tuncay &
Otnes, 2008b). They are fashion conscious and sport ensembles that are
considered feminine by Japanese society, such as tight pants with long
flowing shirts. They are also concerned with their body and engage in
beautification practices such as slimming treatments, day spas, facials,
and eyebrow grooming practices (Miller, 2003). Other consumption practices include shopping, taking leisurely walks, and eating fine desserts. In
everyday parlance, soushokukei danshi consumption is feminine because
beautification and shopping are activities that are traditionally gendered
female (Davis, 2003; Otnes & McGrath, 2001; Roberts, 1998).
Soushokukei danshi exhibit a weak career orientation. Many contemporary Japanese men reject traditional masculine ideals of elite education, high income, and physical stature (Roberson & Suzuki, 2003). Rather
than pursuing upward social mobility through an intense work ethic,
they prefer comfortable lifestyles, which allow time for hedonic pursuits.
Aphorisms like “life is short” and “doing okay is okay” drive their life philosophies. But there is a trade-off. To maximize their leisure time, many
soushokukei danshi select jobs with lower salaries.
Soushokukei danshi are heterosexual men, but are purportedly uninterested in relationships with the opposite sex (Fukasawa, 2009). However,
soushokukei danshi’s inability to sustain long-term, sexual relationships
is more likely a result of their low income than their purported lack of interest in sex. Spa!, a Japanese marketing firm, surveyed men between the
ages of 25 and 39 who earned less than 2 million yen (roughly $24,000) a
year, a benchmark for classifying the “working poor,” and found that 65%
of men in this bracket are discontent with their sex lives, 19.3% have given
up on sex, and 20% are still virgins. The video game company Konami
finds that 20% of men surveyed expressed interest in dating a female video
game character. There are now a variety of love simulation games, such as
Love Plus, which allow players to date video game avatars.
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