Ikigai
Ikigai (生き甲斐, lit. 'a reason for being') is a Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose, a reason for living.[1]
Meaning and etymology
The Oxford English Dictionary defines ikigai as "a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living". More generally it may refer to something that brings pleasure or fulfilment.[2]
The term compounds two Japanese words: iki (生き, meaning 'life; alive') and kai (甲斐, meaning '(an) effect; (a) result; (a) fruit; (a) worth; (a) use; (a) benefit; (no, little) avail') (sequentially voiced as gai), to arrive at 'a reason for living [being alive]; a meaning for [to] life; what [something that] makes life worth living; a 'raison d'être'.
Overview
Ikigai can describe having a sense of
According to psychologist Katsuya Inoue, ikigai is a concept consisting of two aspects: "sources or objects that bring value or meaning to life" and "a feeling that one's life has value or meaning because of the existence of its source or object". Inoue classifies ikigai into three directions – social ikigai, non-social ikigai, and anti-social ikigai – from a social perspective. Social ikigai refers to ikigai that are accepted by society through volunteer activities and circle activities. An asocial ikigai is an ikigai that is not directly related to society, such as
Early popularisation
Although the concept of ikigai has long existed in
Importance
In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, ikigai was thought to be experienced towards either the betterment of society ("subordinating one's own desires to others") or improvement of oneself ("following one's own path").[15]
According to anthropologist Chikako Ozawa-de Silva, for an older generation in Japan, their ikigai was to "fit this standard mold of company and family", whereas the younger generation reported their ikigai to be about "dreams of what they might become in the future".[16]
Studies have shown that people who do not feel ikigai are more likely to experience cardiovascular diseases. However, there was no evidence of any correlation with development of malignant tumors.[17][18]
See also
References
- ^ Y., Kotera; G., Kaluzeviciute; Gulcan, Garip; Kirsten, McEwan; Katy, Chamberlain (2021). "Health Benefits of Ikigai: A Review of Literature". Concurrent Disorders Society Publishing.
- ^ "ikigai". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 24 July 2021. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ISBN 978-90-5892-484-1. Archivedfrom the original on 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- JSTOR 640520.
- PMID 31920827.
- S2CID 149162906.
- PMID 10475874.
- PMID 35141667.
- PMID 36216422.
- PMID 35250405.
- ISBN 978-4805818954.
- ^ Buettner, Dan (September 2009). "How to live to be 100+". TED. Archived from the original on 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
- ISBN 978-0143130727.
- ISBN 4622081814.
- ISBN 978-1-317-35273-0. Archivedfrom the original on 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
- S2CID 211078070.
- S2CID 10483513.
- PMID 19539820.
External links
- "Factors associated with 'Ikigai' among members of a public temporary employment agency for seniors (Silver Human Resources Centre) in Japan; gender differences", Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. 2006; 4:12 (retrieved Nov 2008).
- "Ikigai and Mortality" Psychology Today. 17 Sep 2008 (retrieved Jan 2010).
- "Dan Buettner: How to live to be 100+" TED talk about longevity that explains the word in the Okinawan context. Jan 2010.
- Japan's formula for life satisfaction. By Lily Crossley-Baxter, 11 May 2020, bbc.com.