Note: This post contains spoilers for What You Are Looking For Is in the Library!
In chapter two of What You Are Looking For is in the Library, we meet thirty-five year old Ryo Urase, an accounting staff in a furniture-manufacturing company. Ryo is frustrated with the monotony of his current job and dreams of one day opening his own antique shop. However, he’s constantly demotivated by his lack of resources to do so. Ryo wonders whether his dream will remain just that - a faraway, unattainable dream.
As I reread Ryo’s story, I find that we can understand it from the lens of Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation-hygiene. Please bear in mind that I am not a psychology student - I stumbled upon Herzberg’s theory while reading another (non-fiction, non-English) book. I thought it was insightful. In this part, I’ll look at Ryo’s dissatisfaction through the lens of Herzberg’s theory. Part two will discuss the solution Ryo eventually lands on.
