LAST WORD
In a world of likes, follows and blue ticks, what is it to really be seen?
Elon Musk is everywhere, being seen doing things, but there are those who are unseen who pay for the services of a man who does nothing
24 September 2023 - 00:00
If ever there was an indictment on the attention economy, it's the attention deficit that's created a job in Japan to service those whose lives are untouched by the slightest smidgen of attention. “The Rental Person Who Does Nothing” is the job title of Shoji Morimoto. He gets hired by the lonely, the unseen, the bereft of any kind of attention to pay them some. But not too much. It seems that when he conceived of this service in 2018, he sought to fill a peculiar lacuna in contemporary life...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.
From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.
For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.
Already subscribed? Sign in below.
Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.