What have you read lately?
~ Monosus members' reading time ~

We are now in the second half of September.
It gets dark earlier now, and when I finish work and go outside, the breeze is very cool.
We are starting to see autumn fruits such as sweet potatoes and pumpkins.

With autumn beginning, it's nice to take some time to read a book.
This time, we asked two Monosus members about the books they have read recently that have made an impression on them.

The first book is about Japan's not-too-distant future, and what you take away from it changes every time you read it; the other is a book narrated by a best-selling anatomist.

A book that will make you think about the future, rather than becoming disillusioned with it.
Norihiko Sasaki, "Japan 3.0: Life Strategy for 2020"

Norihiko Sasaki (author) "Japan 3.0: Life Strategy for 2020" Gentosha (2017/1/25) ( Amazon )

The book I read recently was "Japan 3.0: Life Strategy for 2020."

I learned about this book after it was recommended to me by Mr. Takeda from the Coding Factory (CF) department.
Takeda-san tries to see things from various perspectives and is constantly trying to take in new things. I've heard that to get to know a person, you should read the books they're reading, so I decided to read this book to find out what Takeda-san is thinking.

The author, Sasaki, is the editor-in-chief of the web media, NewsPicks .
This book describes the future of the nation, economy, work, education, and leadership in the not-too-distant future of 2020. Although it is about the future, it is written in a rather definite rather than ambiguous terms, so it is a bit like a prophecy.

It's written about realistic things, but rather than making me feel disillusioned about the future, it's a book that gives me hope, and makes me think about what I want to do in this situation.

Maybe it's just because of my personality that I take it in a positive way.
I realized that rather than simply working hard and achieving results, I am part of a generation that has different ideas and approaches than previous generations.

Basically, I like to "change the situation I'm in."
I have a feeling that once something has gone well and solidified to a certain extent, I want to tear it down and start anew. So it was like I was given a push in the right direction, and it made me feel more positive.

The best thing about reading this is that it made me want to know more about those five areas.
I first read this book six months ago, and my perspective is completely different now.
After reading it last time, I became interested in "education" and started reading books about education.
I've also begun to feel that I want to acquire more knowledge, such as about Japanese history.

One topic that seems relevant to everyone is AI. AI can surpass humans in judgment in limited fields such as shogi and chess, but it is said that for the time being it will be difficult to make judgments in management work, which involves many different factors.

When I first read about AI, I only saw it as a threat, but in the last six months I've started using new technology in my own work, and it's simplified some of the work that was once tedious. I now feel that I have more time to do the work I really want to do, and I think we can coexist well with AI.

I think this is a book that gives you a sense of hope at a turning point in these changing times.
I'll be 30 when I read it in six months, so I'm looking forward to reading it again and seeing what I think.

Apparently there is more than one answer. So don't worry.
Takeshi Yoroi's "The Wall of Idiots"

Takeshi Yoroi (author) "The Wall of Idiots" Shinchosha (April 10, 2003) ( Amazon )

This book, "The Wall of Idiots," was the number one best-seller of the year in 2003.
By chance, I had been watching an NHK documentary called " Neko mo Shakushi mo " (Everyone is a cat), and had felt a connection with the way Professor Yorozu talked and basked in the sun with his pet cat. Then, by chance, I came across "The Wall of Fools" in the secondhand book section of a bookstore. Without any hesitation, I took it to the register.

"The Wall of Idiots" is a book that compiles what Professor Yoroi has said. He talks about various themes, and it feels like he is constantly asking you what you think about them. For example, he talks about "individuality."

"Show your individuality" and "develop your individuality" are phrases that you often hear in both educational and workplace settings.
However, Professor Yoro says that "individuality" is something that is given to us from the very beginning. Even something as simple as the skin is completely different between parents and children. Individuality is nothing more and nothing less.
Hmm. So "individuality" is individual differences at the level of appearance or cells? Thinking like that makes me feel better, but what exactly is individuality? I keep thinking about it as I read on.

I also found the talk about people changing interesting.
People tend to think that they themselves remain the same, while the world around them is constantly changing. However, Professor Yoro says that in reality, we are so different that we wake up every day feeling like a different person.

Thanks to the workings of the brain, we think that there is a continuity between who we were yesterday and who we are today, but while we sleep, we grow and age. It is also said that "knowing" something changes us in a way that is comparable to "dying once."

From the mechanism of the brain to the meaning of life, the professor's talk continues and expands. So even when I reached the last page, I didn't feel like I had finished reading it. Rather, I could see a huge library spreading out beyond the book. It's up to me to enter that library and find what kind of books I want.

While I initially accepted the answer that Professor Yorobo had presented based on his long life, it also gave me the opportunity to start thinking about the same thing myself.

Last year, when Professor Yoro turned 80, he wrote a book called " Last Will " for people who are tired of the digital society. I would like to read that book too.

A changing society and changing people.
The existence of AI is likely to bring great changes to society, but in the same way, people are also changing every day.

Sometimes it takes courage to accept change and move forward, and sometimes things change without you even realizing it.
We've introduced you to two books that may provide some clues about both types of changes.