The Aum Shinrikyo Cult, Otaku Counter-Cultural Movement, and Japanese Citizens' Responses to Societal Pressures

Anthony W. Sarullo
Prof. Masahiro Hara, Faculty Mentor

This presentation reveals a common facet of Japanese peoples' response to a strict work culture and high societal expectations through connecting the psychology of the infamous Aum Shinrikyo cult with the Japanese counter-cultural group "otaku". Both groups provide an alternate "reality" for members of the Japanese population who otherwise feel too overwhelmed or unable to meet Japanese society's expectations for them, despite organizing in radically different ways. A common theme between both involves replacing Japanese societal expectations with a world that is more "logical" or comforting. The presentation will be supplemented with the presenter's own personal experiences studying abroad in Japan, visiting spaces such as the Tokyo district of Akihabara, a famous hotspot of otaku culture. Synthesis of these experiences along with research demonstrate how these concepts have evolved and persisted in the modern day.

Keywords: Japanese Culutre, Cult, Otaku , Aum Shinrikyo , Japanese Society, Psychology, Sociology

Topic(s):Japanese
Psychology
Sociology

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA