In the 80s of the 20th century, Japan's economy developed rapidly, creating an era that symbolized prosperity and peace, a period often labeled as the "Bubble Era". Despite the extreme exuberance on the surface, the bubble era hides the truth of overextension and fragility inside. During this period, Japanese society was characterized by symbolic hoarding and consumerism, that is, the pursuit of material possessions that transcended spiritual satisfaction. In a comfortable and ultra-avant-garde social climate, the Japanese tried to build an ideological system isolated from the world, but it also reflected a beautiful but unrealistic desire for a perfect world, increasing awareness of the bubble economy.
Although enthusiasm for political activism has waned, the pursuit of ideals has not completely disappeared. There is no clear dividing line between ideology and fiction, but as our thinking tendency towards fiction and escapism deepens, the total denial and rejection of reality becomes more pronounced. This attitude creates a dilemma in which people are both unwilling to accept reality and unwilling to make efforts to change. In the bubble era, the mainstream apocalyptic ideology of Japanese society dominated public discourse.
The manifestations of this era, such as anime and mass media, provide a stage for the realization of fantasy while reflecting the intersection of reality and fiction. The rise of new religious movements in the style of mysticism and cosmic worship, as well as the explosion in popularity of social places unique to Japan (Disneyland, Shibuya, etc.), symbolize the overlap of fiction and reality.
The concept of the new record, or "new humanity", emerged in 1985 to describe the younger generation who did not experience the difficult years of post-war reconstruction. This generation grew up in a technologically advanced, economically prosperous country, unstruggling for survival and largely indifferent to politics. The trajectory of their lives is defined by a culture of constant consumption, and the focus is on how to find their place in the new social structure. This generation is very different from the previous generation, and their worldview, values, and lifestyles reflect the changes in society at that time.
Ironically, it is this new generation that has enjoyed the life of the so-called "single aristocracy" under the infiltration of economic bubbles and consumer society, and has experienced the bursting of the bubble and the economic decline in the near future. This phenomenon highlights a growing rupture with traditional values and the rise of individualism.
Linking these complex social phenomena, the prosperity of Disneyland and Shibuya and the rise of the new human race, are all a means of escapism, a temporary escape from overwhelming reality. Disneyland's complete escapism – the construction of a perfect fantasy world – became a real-life metaphor that was particularly appealing to the Japanese in the bubble age who were reluctant to face real-world problems.
On the issue of Disneyland's integration with politically correct content, this has sparked a broader discussion about whether leisure spaces should be occupied by ideology. Many believe that Disneyland, as a purpose-built place to escape from everyday life for a while, would undermine the purity of this fantasy space by introducing politically charged content. On the contrary, there are also those who believe that explicitly or implicitly intervening in politics and ideology in leisure spaces is in fact an inevitable reflection on modern society, because even choosing not to talk about politics is itself a political position. This discussion makes the "bubble economy" not only a concept of economics, but also an important topic of modernity, consumption, and ideology in the field of culture and sociology.