Japan continues to grapple with rising prices. From groceries to utilities, households feel the squeeze of inflation. Economists warn that wage growth has not kept pace, leaving consumers with less purchasing power. The yen’s volatility and global supply chain disruptions have only added to the strain.
At first glance, this is a story about economics. But inflation in Japan is not limited to the price of goods. A quieter, stranger inflation is underway, one that affects résumés, business cards, and social media bios.
The New Bubble: Title Inflation
In recent years, the boom in side hustles and online tutorials has created a new market: inflated job titles. Platforms promise that “anyone can earn online,” while podcasts and videos proclaim, “I quit my job after one month because my side hustle surpassed my annual salary.” Others insist that “three hours a day is enough to achieve financial freedom.” The result is a generation of self‑styled professionals whose credentials are as inflated as the price of onions.
This phenomenon is not confined to fringe corners of the internet. It has seeped into mainstream culture, where the allure of quick success and instant expertise has become irresistible. The promise of independence, amplified by catchy slogans and glossy thumbnails, has created a bubble of titles that grows larger by the day.
Case Studies in Inflated Titles
Consider the man who installs WordPress once and immediately declares himself a software engineer. His confidence is matched only by his lack of experience, yet the title sticks because it sounds impressive. Then there is the woman who uploads three TikTok clips and rebrands herself as a content strategist. Her followers may be few, but her résumé now boasts a role that once required years of marketing experience.
Another example comes from a hobbyist who sells two handmade accessories online and prints business cards with the word “CEO” in bold letters. The company exists only as a marketplace account, but the title suggests a corporate empire. Similarly, a casual Zoom tutorial given to friends is enough for someone to claim the mantle of “online lecturer.”
The inflation does not stop there. A curious individual who asked ChatGPT three questions proudly announces a career as a prompt engineer. Meanwhile, another records a single podcast episode about “financial freedom” and suddenly becomes a thought leader. Each case illustrates how titles, once earned through years of study and practice, are now adopted overnight.
The Economics of Ego and the Hidden Cost
This inflation of titles mirrors the economic one: when supply increases without real value, credibility collapses. Just as too much currency erodes purchasing power, too many grandiose titles erode meaning. “Engineer,” “strategist,” and “entrepreneur” have become as common and as devalued as loose change.
Recruiters quietly admit that résumés now read like parody. “Everyone is a founder,” one HR manager sighed. “But most companies that they founded exist only as Instagram accounts.” The dilution of professional language has made it harder to distinguish genuine expertise from self‑promotion. In a labor market already strained by economic inflation, title inflation adds another layer of confusion.
Unlike rising food prices, title inflation doesn’t empty wallets; it empties language. Words that once carried weight now float like balloons, untethered from reality. The true professionals, meanwhile, find themselves drowned out by noise. A seasoned engineer may struggle to stand out when surrounded by dozens of self‑proclaimed peers who have never written a line of code.
The cultural cost is equally significant. As titles lose meaning, so too does the sense of achievement tied to them. Becoming a strategist, lecturer, or CEO once marked a milestone in a career. Now, it risks becoming a punchline. The erosion of language reflects a broader erosion of trust, as audiences grow skeptical of anyone who claims authority online.
Side Hustle Fever
Fueling this inflation is the relentless promotion of side hustles. Videos and podcasts promise that “anyone can earn online,” often accompanied by testimonials of miraculous success. “I quit my job after one month because my side hustle surpassed my annual salary,” boasts one influencer. Another insists, “Three hours a day is enough to achieve financial freedom.”
These slogans, repeated endlessly, create unrealistic expectations. They encourage people to adopt grand titles before achieving modest results. The side hustle boom has shifted from being primarily about actual income to being more about identity, the chance to call oneself an entrepreneur, strategist, or thought leader, regardless of substance.
Japan’s inflation crisis may eventually stabilize. Economists will continue to debate monetary policy, wage growth, and consumer confidence. But the inflation of titles shows no sign of slowing. As long as social media rewards exaggeration and side hustle gurus keep promising instant success, the market for self‑proclaimed experts will remain bullish.
In the end, the true cost of inflation may not be measured in yen, but in words. And in a society where titles are as inflated as prices, the hardest thing to find may be authenticity.
