I live with the "John Frusciante OS"

—And it was completed in Philadelphia

Recently, I found a name for a long-standing sense of discomfort. It is the "John Frusciante OS". This is not simply about music. It is not about John Frusciante's success as a guitarist or the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It is about something more fundamental: how I connect with the world.

■ The person that is John Frusciante

John Frusciante is an extreme individual. He is the legendary guitarist of the global rock band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. While he is a member now, he has left this band twice.

He suddenly disappears from the public eye. He is not obsessed with success or recognition. He does not follow trends or social expectations. He does not even make music production his "goal."

He has consistently said this: "I play music to keep the right distance from the world."For him, expression is not a means to gain approval, but a device to maintain mental balance.

That is why he breaks down when he is most successful, disappears, and suddenly goes silent for years. Even then, he explains it to no one. He does not care if he is not understood.

The John Frusciante OS is an OS that keeps one's internal state as the top priority while standing one step back from society.

■ The feeling of being slightly distanced from society

I am what is called ASD. And I am also an INTJ.

I have never had a strong interest in trends. I do not jump on what everyone else is excited about. I find group activities "troublesome." Writing this might make me seem like someone who lacks cooperativeness. But in reality, it is different.

I understand. But I do not do it.

I can read the room. I understand the context of Japanese society. It is just that I have made the choice not to practice it. This is not rebellion, nor is it denial. It is simply that my OS does not require it.

This is similar to John Frusciante. It is not that he does not understand the context of society. He just does not feel a reason to follow it.

■ In Philadelphia, I was "normal"

This nature became most clear during my life in Philadelphia. Behaviors that are often perceived in Japan as "cold" or "unreadable" were just "one of them" in Philadelphia.

If I turned down an invitation, no one probed for a reason. If I did not flock with others, my character was not questioned. If I did not participate in things I had no interest in, my evaluation did not change.

In short, it was neutral.

By the way, I did not "adapt" in America.I did not change my behavioral patterns at all between Japan and the US.

It is just that in Japan, I became a foreign object, while in Philadelphia, I blended into the scenery.

It is the same as how John Frusciante is not condemned as a "weirdo" even when he distances himself from the social scene in Los Angeles. If he turns down an invitation, no one probes for a reason. If he does not flock with others, his character is not questioned. If he does not participate in things he has no interest in, his evaluation does not change.

■ Expression is not a "goal" but an "adjustment"

For me, music, especially playing the bass, is not just a "hobby." It is not an escape, nor is it play. It is a cognitive balancer that simplifies my thoughts, aligns my body, and cools down a head that has become too abstract .

That is why I play every day. That is why I have piles of demos that are not intended for release. I have little interest in finishing them or being evaluated for them.

I played bass at night in Philadelphia and back home, and walked the streets the same way the next day. That rhythm was what kept my OS most stable.

This is the same reason why John Frusciante continued to choose time playing sounds alone over releasing albums.

Expression is not "announcement."It is internal adjustment.

■ An OS not suited for social success

To be honest, this OS is not suited for social success. I am not driven by approval, I do not get fired up by competition, and I have little interest in winning or losing.

John Frusciante also broke down and left many times within the massive success machine that is a band.

I am the same.

Therefore, I am initially taken lightly, become a "person who is hard to understand" along the way, and finally become someone who is "respected."

I have experienced this sequence many times in my life.

In Japan, this process creates friction. In Philadelphia, it almost never occurred.

■ Even so, I have adapted to reality

The decisive difference between John Frusciante and me is here. He went all-in on music, performance, and expression. I operate reality (management and life) at the same time.

I do not like it, but I do what is necessary. Even in environments I am not suited for, I keep things running at a minimum. On top of that, I put all my effort only into places where my OS will not break.

This is not a compromise.It is optimization.

■ Why am I trying to return to English now?

Recently, I have been seriously reviving my English-speaking brain. I am doing online English conversation, talking with old American friends, reading The Economist every day, and listening intently to the Lakers Nation podcast.

The reason is simple.

This language has less friction. It is kinder to the John Frusciante OS.

Japanese is convenient, but it always carries the weight of 'atmosphere,' 'emotion,' and 'context.'

English allows one to exist while maintaining distance. It is the same structure as how John Frusciante continues to keep his distance from the media.


It is not that I have given up on life or potential.

On the contrary,

I am reallocating my resources to the areas where I can perform at my best.

This is not an emotion, buta managerial decision.

■ Conclusion: I am different. But I am not wrong.

People with the John Frusciante OS are a minority, even globally. In Japan, they are even rarer. That is why I am misunderstood. That is why I am considered difficult to deal with. That is why I am told, 'You don't seem like a Japanese person.'

But now I understand.

This is not a defect. It is a structure.

With this OS, I have lived normally in Philadelphia, lived as a foreign object in Japan, and yet I have kept reality moving and kept playing music.

That is fine. That is who I am.