Meet the new “Yokai” (monster/spirit) born from the cracks of modern society: “Zaitaku-Bozu” (Stay-at-Home Monk). This is a fictional creature inspired by the serious social issues surrounding the rise of telework, isolation, and loneliness. This image is a detailed infographic/illustration explaining its unsettling nature and ultimate fate in four panels.
Zaitaku-Bozu appears in the corners of rooms of people who have gone days without talking to anyone or stepping outside. Dressed in a suit jacket with pajama bottoms, its face is a glitchy Zoom waiting screen. It starts with auditory hallucinations of work emails late at night, followed by the terrifying phenomenon of being unable to “clock out” even in one’s own home, with doors transforming into “Error 404” screens. Finally, the boundaries between work and private life completely vanish, and the person themselves becomes a Zaitaku-Bozu. This artwork serves as a cautionary tale about mental health and burnout under remote work conditions. A must-see for anyone navigating the new normal.
