Social Structure2019
Japan's Hikikomori Crisis
Japan
1.5 million Japanese adults have withdrawn from society entirely, some for decades
Case Studies
The Mismatch in Action
Real examples of what happens when modern environments violate fundamental human needs. These aren't broken individuals-they're predictable outcomes of broken systems.
Understanding These Cases
These cases illustrate environmental mismatch-the gap between what humans evolved for and the conditions we actually live in. Each case is categorized by the core need being violated:
Social StructureVisible PurposeClosed LoopsReal FeedbackDistributed Care
Social Structure2018
UK Loneliness Epidemic
United Kingdom
9 million Britons report chronic loneliness; UK appoints world's first Minister for Loneliness
Social Structure2020
Kodokushi: Dying Alone
Japan
30,000 elderly Japanese die alone annually; some bodies undiscovered for years
Visible Purpose2015
Matsuri Takahashi
Tokyo, Japan
24-year-old ad agency employee works 130 hours overtime in one month, dies by suicide on Christmas Day
Visible Purpose2010
Foxconn Suicide Cluster
Shenzhen, China
18 Foxconn workers attempt suicide in one year; company installs nets on buildings rather than change conditions
Visible Purpose2021
Amazon Warehouse Workers
United States
Amazon workers urinate in bottles to meet quotas; injury rates 80% higher than industry average
Closed Loops2021
Youth Climate Anxiety
Global
75% of young people say 'the future is frightening'; 56% believe 'humanity is doomed'
Closed Loops2020
24/7 News Cycle Anxiety
Global
Americans who follow news 'very closely' show 40% higher anxiety levels than those who don't
Closed Loops2006-present
Infinite Scroll Design
Global
Infinite scroll inventor Aza Raskin says his creation wastes 200,000 human lifetimes annually
The Pattern Across All Cases
Every case follows the same structure:
1
Human Need Exists
Evolved over millions of years, encoded in biology
2
Environment Violates It
Modern systems ignore or actively exploit the need
3
Predictable Suffering
The individual is blamed for a systemic failure
Understand the Framework
These cases make more sense when you understand the full framework behind them.