In an age obsessed with self-reliance and individual success, the Autism Moral Circle Project offers me a radically different approach, one rooted in neurodivergent solidarity, collective care, and shared purpose. By revisiting the Japanese concept of ikigai, last session, we explored what truly makes life worth living for those who think, feel, and connect differently.
Autism and collective meaning: about “ikigai” and fulfilment
In our increasingly individualistic society, the myth of self-reliance continues to dominate social discourse, particularly affecting autistic and neurodivergent individuals. The Autism Moral Circle Project emerged as a direct challenge to this narrative, advocating instead for solidarity, mutual support, and collective empowerment. Our approach fundamentally rejects the notion that individuals—particularly those with different neurological wiring—should navigate complex social systems in isolation.
Reimagining ikigai: beyond corporate simplification
At this week’s Autism Moral Circle Project gathering, we engaged with the prompt “Create your own ikigai.” The concept of ikigai (生き甲斐), often visualised as a Venn diagram in management literature, purportedly represents the Japanese secret to a fulfilling life—the sweet spot where what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for converge.
However, this popular Western corporate interpretation significantly simplifies and distorts the original Japanese concept. For Japanese people, ikigai rarely carries explicit associations with career or financial success. Rather, as documented by anthropologist Gordon Mathews and Japanese psychiatrist Mieko Kamiya, ikigai represents something closer to “that which makes life worth living” or “purpose in life” (Mathews, 1996; Kamiya, 1966). In traditional Japanese communities, particularly among older generations, ikigai often derives from family relationships, community contributions, and simple daily pleasures—not professional achievements.
The anthropologist Iza Kavedžija’s extensive fieldwork in Osaka further confirms this distinction, noting that ikigai encompasses “a sense that life is worth living” through daily, often modest experiences. Her research indicates that many elderly Japanese find ikigai in maintaining meaningful social connections and contributing to their communities in small but significant ways (Kavedžija, 2019).
This corporate oversimplification exemplifies how capitalism co-opts and commodifies cultural concepts, reducing rich traditions to productivity tools. Nevertheless, despite these legitimate critiques, I found value in engaging with this framework—even in its Westernised form—as a reflective exercise.
Finding my “ikigai” / confluence: where passion, skill, need and livelihood meet
The exercise prompted me to examine the intersection of what I love, what I excel at, what the world needs, and what I can be compensated for. This reflection revealed both harmonies and tensions in my current path.
Areas of Convergence
- I deeply love learning, creating and sharing—whether composing and/or playing music, teaching children self-defence, or translating complex neuroscientific concepts into accessible knowledge. Research, ideation, and mutual inspiration energise me; I approach life as an ongoing exploration and playful investigation.
- My strengths lie in analysis, writing, artistic expression, and explanation. I deploy these talents in my work as a musician, researcher, writer, and budo coach. I find fulfilment in establishing initiatives like Japan Fans, which continues to grow and flourish.
- The world urgently needs greater inclusion, safety, solidarity, creativity, and understanding of neurodiversity—precisely the themes that permeate my work.
- Through publications, lectures, performances, and workshops, I hope to eventually achieve financial independence whilst contributing meaningfully to these important causes.
Significant Discrepancies
- My greatest challenge involves structure and energy distribution. With abundant passions and ideas, I sometimes struggle with focus, restfulness, and particularly collaboration.
- A gap exists between what generates income and what constitutes my deepest motivations. My impactful, idealistic work regarding neurodiversity, art, and martial arts hasn’t yet achieved financial sustainability. I’m still exploring how to monetise various outputs—YouTube videos, my book Inside the Autside, artwork, articles, the NeuroSpicy Planner—which people enjoy but which generate minimal revenue.
- Finally, my high ideals occasionally clash with a world not yet prepared for such complexity and depth.
Nevertheless, I believe these discrepancies actually invite growth: I’m learning to build systems, forge alliances, and cultivate an audience receptive to my voice and vision.
Autism and collective impact through individual purpose
Our group recognises the potential for meaningful impact when we align our individual purposes. The vector VENN diagram approach helps us visualise how we might sustainably operate in our flow states and stretch zones, collectively increasing financial possibilities—especially when considering our broader community network.
We share a profound sense of urgency regarding climate issues and community building. We advocate for liberating choices, gravitating toward energy-enhancing activities whilst distancing ourselves from energy-depleting ones. Setting personal boundaries and being selective about our commitments allows us to collaboratively create safe spaces.
Navigating principles vs pragmatism
Feedback from the group on my ikigai reflection highlighted an important tension: “Sometimes principled individuals fail to reach less principled people, potentially preventing progress. Might compromise offer a better starting point?”
I find compromise challenging, particularly regarding fundamental rights. We cannot simply say, “Let’s grant transgender individuals half their human rights.” Perhaps the solution lies in creating intermediate spaces—meeting grounds where we can identify areas of mutual recognition and respect despite differences.
This aligns with an enactivist perspective on autism, which emphasises the co-creation of meaning through interaction. The friction points in our interactions often prove most interesting! How might we engage productively with those whose perspectives radically differ from our own?
In today’s polarised climate, the core issue isn’t divergent thinking but rather our difficulty discussing these differences constructively. Individualism encourages increasingly strident assertions that crowd out other voices. Genuine respect creates space for togetherness—a principle that guides the Autism Moral Circle Project as we build solidarity in a world that often overlooks neurodivergent experiences and needs.
References:
Kamiya, M. (1966). Ikigai ni tsuite [About Ikigai]. Tokyo: Misuzu Shobo.
Kavedžija, I. (2019). Making Meaningful Lives: Tales from an Aging Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Mathews, G. (1996). What Makes Life Worth Living? How Japanese and Americans Make Sense of Their Worlds. Berkeley: University of California Press.