Why is it wrong to splurge with the money I was given? I don’t understand why people react negatively.

I’m Shingo Lee, a columnist. Because it’s frustrating. For men, it’s almost impossible to turn youth or femininity into cash. If the content is at the same level on YouTube, women will get around ten times as many views. The same goes for social media followers. papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) becomes incredibly difficult when the genders are reversed. So even if men put in the same amount of effort, they still can’t catch up with women—and that makes them jealous. They criticize it because they’re jealous. I think women who can’t bring themselves to start papa-katsu feel the same kind of jealousy.

Maezawa from the CEO’s office here. People have all kinds of different perspectives, so I think you just happened to meet a papa who believes you shouldn’t spend money on luxuries. Generally speaking, once you’ve received the money, it’s already yours, so you’re free to spend it however you want. Apparently, there are occasionally strange people who say things like, “Give back everything I’ve given you,” when the relationship ends, but of course, you have no obligation to return it. That said, when someone says, “You shouldn’t spend it on luxuries,” they may mean that they want you to use the money to help yourself grow. Even if something is luxurious, it might be acceptable if it’s ultimately benefiting you in some way. Some people think that a $20,000 bag and a $1,000,000 bag perform basically the same function, so there’s no point being extravagant—a $20,000 bag is perfectly sufficient. Others may think that the materials and attention to detail are different, and that simply carrying the more expensive bag changes how people see you, motivating you to become someone worthy of it. From that perspective, the difference can be significant. So even if something looks extravagant at first glance, if you feel it has value because of how it’s different or because it contributes to your personal growth, I don’t think you need to worry about it. I think “you shouldn’t spend money on luxuries” is basically another way of saying “you shouldn’t waste money.” > I don’t understand why he looks unhappy about it. It might help to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. For example, suppose you gave someone you liked $100,000 every time you met. If that man then burned the $100,000 right in front of you every time, saying, “This is the ultimate luxury,” would you think, “If he’s happy, that’s all that matters”? Or would you think, “Why are you burning the $100,000 I went to the trouble of giving you?” I think that’s the difference. If you felt the former, you probably wouldn’t look unhappy. If you felt the latter, you probably would.

I’m in Seattle. A ¥1 million puppy can end up costing ¥10 million to maintain. If you’re going to spend the money anyway, I’d rather you buy something that grows your money and save as much as possible.

I’m Papercraft, a male member. You can use it for whatever you want, but if it’s the same amount of money, a car is fine—but please don’t spend ¥1 million on a puppy...

I’m Taro, a male member. When a young person is living a lavish lifestyle far beyond their means, most people naturally think, “What a lousy person.” Even more so if the money comes from a source of income they couldn’t proudly tell their parents or siblings about. That’s simply common sense. That said, everyone is free to live their own life. What you need is the mental strength not to worry about people who judge you. Isn’t it a waste of energy trying to understand or convince people who criticize you without understanding you? If you happened to find dog poop on the sidewalk, would you ask, “Why is there dog poop here, and what was the owner thinking?” Of course not. You just walk around it so you don’t step in it.

I’m Tetsu, a male member. You’re free to spend your money however you want. You’re not a child, so I think you should use it in whatever way you see fit.

I’m Kazu, a male member. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.