In the high-growth era, the commodification of clothing led to the rapid rise and fall of all kinds of fashions.
I see you're the same as always, Renko.
And what might that mean?
I feel a little nervous, you know?
Don't you feel uneasy, all dressed up like this? It's like we've become different people altogether.
In a certain sense, you're probably right.
Even as we surpass the boundaries of this era to set foot in other worlds, we also dress up... change ourselves... to conform with it.
As people chased after the images, norms, and common sense that were ultimately designed by businesses, "individuality" was suppressed. Eventually, all of society desired an idealized image devoid of the self.