The Flip Side of the World

They have homelands, yet live as outsiders. Uprooted by history or shut out by society, they exist in between. Stories of cultural orphans in "Golden Cage Syndrome": Uyghur Kavsar in Sweden, Turkish Mehmet in Japan, Mexican Arte in the US, and others.

Homelessness is increasing and affecting many people. Some, like Kase in Japan, live on the streets. Others, like Erika in the US, live in their cars. Meanwhile, people like Mat in the UK share small spaces. These stories show the difficult side of city life.

In an era where you don’t need to leave home even for food, loneliness spreads like mold, as people lose opportunities for small interactions. This is how people feel—like Jack from the US, who joins churches to make friends, and Anna from the UK, who founded a community for lonely Londoners, among others.

We all have tendencies toward addiction, and for some, it takes one small shift—whether through drug abuse, shopping, or technology overuse. Seeking relief from anxiety, many, like Juan with social media or Kate with drug use, turn to these escape mechanisms.

Extremism is a slippery concept—what’s considered extreme in one place might be entirely mainstream in another. Whether it’s cosplay, where the line between person and persona begins to blur; a hardcore carnivore diet; or even tattoos—how many is too many?—what lies behind these "extremes" may often be driven by surprisingly ordinary motives.

Healthcare is ideally a fundamental necessity, but for some—especially in the US—it remains a privilege. Even in countries with universal healthcare, demand continues to outstrip supply, creating a widening class divide in access to care.