虚業の誇り ― ゼロを足して生きるということ

In this episode, I reflect on the meaning of “Kyogyo” — so-called vain or hollow work. In Japan, the word often carries a negative tone, suggesting something useless or unproductive. Yet I argue that Kyogyo gives life its warmth and meaning. Through my experience working for a free paper in Vietnam, I saw how even “impractical” work can create atmosphere, emotion, and human connection. If “real industries” produce forms, then Kyogyo produces meaning. In an age obsessed with efficiency and utility, we need those who cherish the unnecessary, because without such spaces of “waste,” the human spirit cannot breathe.