Future Society Needs HSPs

The term HSP is usually discussed alongside the concept of 'difficulty in living'.

- Sensitive to stimuli.
- Easily influenced by the emotions of others.
- Exhausted from reading the room too much.

Psychologist Elaine Aron calls people with such temperaments HSPs (Highly Sensitive Persons), and it is said that they make up about 15-20% of the population.

With the spread of this term, I believe many people have felt relieved, realizing that they are not simply 'weak'.

However, when listening to stories about HSPs, one premise inevitably emerges.

That is the premise that HSPs are not suited for society.

But I have a slightly different perspective.

Rather, I think that the society of the future will be one that requires the sensitivity of HSPs.

Changes in Social Structure

We are currently living in a society that is 'faster' than ever before.

Information flows incessantly, emotions spread instantly on social media, and the economy constantly demands efficiency.

In such a society, those who are valued are usually the 'fast people'.

Those who are quick to decide and react, and who have high productivity.

However, that 'speed' has a weakness.

It is that it makes it difficult to notice discomfort.

When a society breaks down, it does not happen suddenly.

Small instances of discomfort accumulate.

- Someone is pushing themselves too hard.
- Someone is isolated.
- Relationships are gradually breaking down somewhere.

Such changes are rarely reflected in numbers.

Rather, they appear in the form of the temperature of the atmosphere.

And it is usually sensitive people who notice that temperature.

AI Increases the Value of HSPs

Here, another major change is taking place.

That is AI.

AI is very good at handling information.

Much of intellectual work will be assisted by AI from now on.

In other words, much of what has been considered valuable, such as 'knowledge' and 'information processing,' will become areas where we compete with machines.

So, where will human value remain?

One such place is in relationships between people.

It is the atmosphere between people.

It is things like unspoken emotions, the temperature of a situation, and subtle silences.

These things are very difficult to handle as information.

That is why I believe that as AI advances, the value of 'raw connections' between humans will conversely increase.

And at that time, what will become important is the ability to perceive human emotions.

This is an ability that has often been called 'too sensitive' in the past.

But that sensitivity is also a sensor for society.

If we compare society to a single body, institutions are the skeleton, and the economy is the muscle.

And sensitive people are like nerves.

Nerves feel pain.

And that pain is a signal to protect the body.

Society is the same.

・Someone is pushing themselves too hard.
・Someone is isolated.
・Relationships are slowly breaking down.

It is usually sensitive people who first perceive such discomfort.

The Value of Emotional Labor

And I believe another major change will occur in the society of the future.

That is, the value of emotional labor will increase.

Until now, emotional labor has not been highly valued.

These are interpersonal tasks such as customer service, nursing, education, and counseling.

Although these jobs are essential to society, they have not necessarily been highly valued economically.

The ability to put people at ease, build trust, and soften conflicts is not something that can be easily replaced by machines.

And isn't it the case that HSPs often naturally possess these abilities?

Perhaps in the future society, a time will come when the ability to handle emotions is also valued economically.

A future may come where highly sensitive people become the very ones who support the stability of society.