He particularly dislikes going to work on a January Monday. A 37-year-old Japanese man tired of Mondays, alarm clocks, and bosses discovered an unusual way to make money. He gets paid a hundred dollars an hour for doing nothing. Shoji Morimoto worked in a publishing house for the majority of his life. He edited textbooks and manuals, which seemed like a dreadful job to him. Shoji realized at the age of 36 that he could no longer get up every Monday before sunrise and go to the dreaded office. He decided to change his life.

Shoji quit his job and started Twitter, transforming himself into “a man who does nothing.” The man admitted that he tried many things and was not good at any of them. And then he decided that he was good at doing nothing. He was not going to work any longer. But he is ready to keep company with any person who needs company — no matter what he is up to.The former editor had not anticipated such a flood of applications. It turned out that many people require good company: someone needs a partner in an online game, someone wants to watch a movie and then discuss their thoughts, and someone simply wants to talk it out without being judged.

Shoji has flown in a helicopter, visited Disneyland, and once listened to a criminal confession. “Sometimes people just need to talk to someone.” People, it turns out, desperately need someone to make them feel less lonely. Morimoto is always ready to listen objectively, no matter what is said to him. He will respond in short phrases, will not interrupt, and will not give advice — it’s almost like writing in a diary, only more pleasant. You don’t have to change anything in your life to communicate with a therapist. Shoji can “save” a yard football game if the team is short on players.

Or stay in the hospital with someone who attempted suicide. Morimoto discovered that he adored his new “job.” For starters, there is always an element of surprise in it. People decide for themselves what they will do, and it’s always something new. He’s also well compensated. At first, Morimoto helped people for free, but there were too many willing. To avoid burnout, he established a yen minimum wage — a little less than $ 100 per hour plus food and drinks — and limited his working hours.Japan is a country where people pay money for the most amazing things.

For example, there are organizations here that organize fake treason: if one of the couple urgently needs to get divorced or take the partner away from the current lover. Here you can hire a fake relative for a wedding or a professional mourner for a funeral. Shoji Morimoto’s story captivated the Japanese: his book instantly became a bestseller and a TV series was filmed about him. He also charmed many — who wouldn’t want to receive $ 100 an hour for what he eats, drinks and flies a helicopter.

A potential client pool quickly emerged: girls who need an escort to avoid harassment, lonely middle-aged bar patrons, and office workers without a personal life who don’t want to discuss reports or the boss over beer. Someone requires a shopping companion, and someone requires the opportunity to try on new clothes and pose for Stories. However, many believe that in many countries it would be a risky business: “they can beat it.” And commentators admit to succumbing to comments and advice.