The Well-Fed Poor
Against the backdrop of post-WWII Japan’s explosive economic growth, *The Well-Fed Poor* pulls back the curtain on a hidden crisis: millions trapped in a paradox of material plenty and spiritual destitution. Through intimate portraits of overworked securities salesmen drowning in debt to hit impossible quotas, insurance executives crumbling under fake contracts and endless obligations, software engineers losing their humanity to 'technical stress' and brutal overtime, and women battling life-threatening eating disorders to fill emotional voids, the book exposes how a hyper-competitive, consumer-driven society erodes individual dignity. It unpacks systemic forces—ruthless corporate metrics, normalized overwork, and a culture equating success with productivity—while delving into psychological scars from broken family bonds and unmet emotional needs. Saitō Shigeo’s searing narrative challenges readers to question if prosperity without purpose is truly prosperity at all.