Resort Attracts Men With Virtual Girlfriends 226
disco_tracy writes "Long a favorite of lovers and honeymooners, a Japanese beach town with fading sparkle has found a new tourism niche in the wired age. A resort based on a game called 'Love Plus,' encourages players to develop long-term relationships with virtual women. From the article: 'Local souvenir shops in the resort town have caught on and capitalized on the love-struck new clientele, selling Love Plus-themed souvenirs, from good-luck charms to steamed buns and fish sausages. The local Ohnoya hotel even offers traditional rooms to the unusual couples, which feature two sets of futon beds and another barcode panel that allows the men to visualize their girlfriends in a flattering summer kimono.'"
Re:Japan's primary export (Score:3, Interesting)
They live in a boring, conformist hive culture so when they blow off steam, they REALLY need to blow off steam. An accepted social outlet is a non-disruptive way to do that.
The old way to vent was upon the neighbors, and we've seen (Nanjing) what that leads to. Better they watch that stuff as a cartoon, fap, and go about their day. Every culture does this to some extent, but the Nips are less prudish than USians.
More of same on the way (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm just guessing, here, no research done (hey, a /. tradition) but I suspect that if your culture continues to have a deeply-embedded prejudice for treating women like crap, and wives in particular as servants for yourself and her mother-in-law, it could be tough finding a wife.
This problem exists to varying degrees in Asia, and is already being hugely exacerbated by a plummeting female/male ratio in some countries due to selective abortion and even (quiet) infanticide.
A whole generation of men the size of the whole US population won't be able to find women in the coming generation.
And if you aren't sympathetic, maybe you will be later. Because that's also the generation that's going to enjoy a whole new level of industrialized prosperity - enough to basically come bidding for women from other countries.
Women from America's growing underclass, as rich and poor grow further apart might find a nice condo in Bangalore and a (pathetically) grateful south Asian hubby more attractive than a trailer park...
Re:Oh, Japanese beach town. (Score:5, Interesting)
I know you're joking...BUT, I wonder, would real women (GF or spousal unit) really be mad if you had a robotic GF if technology got good enough for you to really want one?
I mean...just using it for physical pleasure...since it isn't a real human, would it be cheating? I'd think it would be MUCH less so, than Clinton's definition of sex...?
What about a step further, if VR got good enough to where you just plugged in? Would that be in any form cheating or just REALLY REALLY good porn?
Then again..I could see a future...where if the VR stuff was THAT good, would men start shying away from real women and reality? I mean, you get a VR chick that never ages, never says no, always looks JUST like you want her....and never complains or nags you. Who'd want the real thing after that (unless you wanted to reproduce).
Just some random ideas...
Culture shift in Japan (Score:5, Interesting)
Japan is undergoing a huge cultural shift. In the past corporate loyalty was a big concept in Japan; workers expected to work long hours for their entire lives for a single employer, and in return they would get paid well and never get laid off. The economic problems of Japan have led to this culture going away. For most older workers it is still in place (although some have been laid off), but for most young people the situation is pretty awful. There is huge unemployment among young people, and the jobs available are mostly contract positions that don't pay well and may end with little notice. A particularly harsh problem for a country that puts a large emphasis on employment as a basis for personal success and has relied on the corporate benevolance that was present in the past instead of creating extensive social safety net programs.
This has led to poverty and disillusionment, with many younger people reacting by withdrawing from society to various degrees. This is presumably why Japan has some of the lowest numbers in the world for children born per capita and frequency of sexual contact. The virtual girlfriend is an attempt to capitalize on those withdrawn young men who are still active in society but do not have the interest or self-confidence necessary to pursue a human female. It isn't so much a rejection of Japanese women as a reaction of despair to a society that treats them as if they have no value. It's a cautionary note for the United States too. The fact that the corporate loyalty culture here is much weaker probably means that the impact won't be as bad, but the potential for a generation that is poorer, less motivated, and less active socially is definitely present.
BTW, make sure your Chinese cook is a gourmet--a great Chinese cook can make lots of great food, but an ok Chinese cook makes food that is very greasy and salty, which tastes great once in a while but is monotonous (not to mention very unhealthy) if eaten regularly. Contrast that to an ok French or Italian cook, who makes food that isn't inspired but is still good to eat any or every day.
Re:Oh, Japanese beach town. (Score:4, Interesting)