Have you ever taken a train at night?

I’m Saito, a column writer♪. I think it ultimately comes down to high risk, high return. Also, there’s a big difference between academic ability—studying so you don’t lose anything or fall behind others, following and remembering what you’re told—and the kind of social aptitude that lets someone keep pushing forward even after losing everything they believed in, correct their mistakes, and act decisively. Have you ever taken a train at night? But those people chose that path for themselves. I used to take the train as a student, and I was so poor that, even while interacting with those highly capable salaried workers, all I could think about was surpassing them. What’s more, even Japan is gradually ceasing to be much of an economic power when viewed from the rest of the world. That’s capitalism for you. You studied this, didn’t you?

I’m Tetsu, a male member. It makes me laugh because I’ve also fallen into a deep sleep on the train, drooling away. (lol) Your values are your own, so if that’s how you feel, I think you should honor those feelings. However, forcing your values on others and telling them to change their behavior is presumptuous. You seem to be assuming that everyone involved in papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) is a business owner. There are also salaried employees—like the ones you mentioned—who participate through clubs. Feeling sorry for someone who looks worn out is based on your values. That person might actually be satisfied with their current lifestyle. You make it sound as though men involved in papa-katsu are enjoying themselves with an easy life, freedom, and money, but that isn’t true of everyone. If you’re a salaried employee, making a mistake at work might get you scolded by your boss, but your salary won’t go down. A papa (a male supporter) who invests, however, may be taking on the risk of losing hundreds of millions of yen because of a mistake in his own judgment.

I’m Aya, a female member. There are a lot of harsh comments, but I do understand how you feel. I often take the bullet train for work, and I see so-called exhausted salarymen all the time. I find myself thinking, “They must have it tough…” One of my papas is the sole owner of his company, and he often yells at his employees, which scares me. He looks absolutely terrifying when he does it, so I can’t help feeling sorry for the employees being yelled at—and it ends up upsetting me too. So, just like you, I once asked my papa something along the lines of, “Couldn’t you be a little kinder to them?” (lol) Then he said, “I give that guy five million yen every year, and I even provide him with a car as part of his benefits. Before he started making mistakes like that, I was paying him an annual salary of eight million yen. I want him to do work that lives up to what I’m giving him, but he’s just too stupid! You understand too, don’t you? How hard this is for me…” Hearing that, I realized that my papa actually wants to have lots of highly capable employees, but he’s struggling because he hasn’t been able to hire people who live up to his expectations, and his employee training isn’t going well. I also started thinking that the employee was being yelled at in exchange for a substantial annual salary of five million yen, solid benefits, and the stability of being a permanent employee. I even felt a little envious. While being yelled at, all he has to do is switch off emotionally. When you look at it that way, maybe that employee, who is guaranteed an annual salary of five million yen, is much better off than I am, juggling unstable work and being a mistress… Though I’m happy with my own life too. There are all kinds of ways of thinking in this world. Why not try looking at things from various perspectives as well?

I’m Flag Maker, a column writer. Well, I can’t really say, since I don’t know whether that exhausted salaryman actually hates his own life. I’m a middle manager at a major corporation—technically a manager in title only—and I’m still working on the sales front lines. Things have gotten a little better lately, but not long ago, it was basically open season for power harassment. In the past, I was even told by a superior, “I’ll fucking kill you!” and “I’ll make sure you never climb the corporate ladder here again.” Haha. A company has to pay its employees a stable salary every month, so naturally, it tries to get as much work out of them as possible to make that money back. The problem is that the same dynamic also exists between superiors and subordinates within the organization, which makes things really tough. That’s why being a salaryman is hard. You have to figure out your own limits, then find a compromise between what’s expected of you and what you’re actually capable of doing. As a result, you may receive evaluations you’re not happy with, but you don’t let it get you down—you keep working hard every day. What supports salarymen like that isn’t the company. It’s the kindness of family and friends. So the person you should be kind to isn’t the papa (a male supporter). It’s that exhausted salaryman right there! Give him a “Thanks for all your hard work” and maybe a bottle of Yunker first, then come back and ask this question. Haha. Being kind to the papa won’t get through to that employee!

I’m Taro, a male member. Aren’t you watching too many dramas? lol What train line is it? If it really exists, I’d love to ride it. By the way, I’m on the bullet train right now. One person is relaxing with a beer, while another is eating ice cream. Everyone looks happy.

In my 20s, I worked until nearly midnight every day. I’d eat dinner at work around 6:00 p.m., then get back to work for another stretch. I’d get home at 1:00 a.m., go to bed at 2:00, wake up at 6:30, and leave the house by 7:00. To be perfectly honest, I was completely exhausted. But there are ways to break out of that kind of life. I don’t work under those conditions anymore. The worn-out, overworked salaryman lifestyle may be impossible for today’s papas, but that doesn’t mean everyone could do a papa’s job. Even if it looks easy, it takes talent, knowledge, experience, connections, and even the ability to bluff. And it can provide a comfortable life. I’m sure you understand all that and are asking from that perspective, but I wanted to point out that people who have settled into that lifestyle aren’t necessarily free of all responsibility. Marika P.S. As I reread this, one thing started bothering me. Are you a student? You’re not a salaried worker working yourself to the bone, nor are you a business owner moving large sums of money through society and paying substantial taxes. You’re not someone who contributes nothing and doesn’t even pay income tax on the allowance you receive from your papa, are you? Well, spending the money may at least help the economy. But keeping it stashed away at home would be the worst.

I’m Kazu, a male member. It’s been a few years since I last took a local train, but of course I’ve ridden one at night before. I’ve taken the Shinkansen quite recently, though. I’ve also passed out asleep on the train home, looking completely worn out. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve stayed overnight at the office. Even now, though I work in a way that usually makes that unnecessary, I won’t hesitate to do it when needed. Even people who look perfectly composed are often paddling like crazy beneath the surface to keep from sinking. You don’t go around telling other people how hard you’re working, after all. There’s nothing unreasonable about it. The world is actually a surprisingly well-balanced place.