UBI is basically job guarantee for people who have overinflated expectations of AI/automation, underinflated expectations of inflation and dont quite understand that people actually like jobs with dignity.

isn't __hikkikomori__ more about feeling cornered by the society that gives you no chance whatsoever to do something you could remotely wanted with your life?

The point is, these people mostly spend decades sitting in rooms watching TV, playing video games or reading manga. Maybe it's a stereotype, but I've heard of only one Hikkikomori who chose to adopt a productive hobby (game dev) during all that time. The rest is just happy to waste it.

Those are the things that don't cost money or relatively little money in societies where everything social costs money. Land and housing is super expensive for someone without a high paying job. In the US at least, anything social costs money. There is no public place where people can meet others. Public spaces are either dedicated to cars, office space, or retail. It seems different in europe with social public plazas, not sure about Japan. But people like to have some kind of say in the area around them, and improve their environment. Any city I've lived in has a city government where the most input you can have is 'feedback sessions' where only pre-approved questions can be asked. If you don't have land to yourself or assets or already have a strong social network, what work can you do where you feel like you are making progress and improving yourself or your community and not just contributing to someone else's profit? As someone in software, I feel like I had a path to obtaining some wealth, but I understand why people without it might just want to detach and from the 'real world' and spend time doing things that make them happy. You also have to consider that the 'work' that they are choosing not to do might be bad for their mental/physical health if it is depressing/stressful work that doesn't reward them.

I'm not saying this lifestyle is healthy, but I can see why some people want to opt out of a system that doesn't consider their desires or wellbeing.

Also, not everyone can be a software developer. Why do you consider being a game dev to be noble and productive, but playing games to be a drain on society?

I think you and the original mentioner of "hikkikomori" might be missing the actual social causes of it, it's not purely a "got no work to do, gonna just lounge about eating noodles and watching anime all day". It happens in a very, very rigid/conservative society, almost as a rejection of it.

If it were purely lack of work -> become recluse, we'd see this with 100% of retirees everywhere, but we don't. I'm not saying it's 0%, but I've known plenty of retirees with hobbies and socialization.

In Poland we have a different name for that phenomenon 'pilnowanie domu' which translates to 'guarding the house / watching the house'. It does have a implication in the name, that those who are affected tend to do nothing productive or organized, they just sit and watch.

It's a sad reality for some people, I do know some people that are living this way.

Occasionally do noting is fine. I know a lot of people that don't know how to spend their time and constantly fill it with working. We call them workoholics.

True make-work isnt giving anything to society.

In socialism you "go to work". In capitalism you "work".