Work, merit and recognition: identity construction in two capitalisms

Abstract This article explores how young people in Italy and Japan experience work as a source of identity, recognition, and psychological pressure. Drawing on a comparative qualitative methodology and grounded in the theoretical frameworks of Axel Honneth, Michael Sandel, Takehiko Kariya, and the critique of the performance society (Marcuse, Han, Chicchi & Simone), the study analyzes 24 in-depth interviews (17 Italian, 7 Japanese) supported by broader survey data. In Italy, the findings reveal a widespread sense of frustration and disillusionment, rooted in the misalignment between education and employment, the erosion of expectations, and the denial of recognition. In Japan, the research highlights a strong identification with the company, accompanied by performance anxiety, fear of failure, and the internalization of meritocratic pressure. Extreme responses such as hikikomori and karoshi are interpreted as structurally coherent reactions to a system that equates value with conformity and endurance. The discussion frames work as a mirror of the self: when recognition is absent, identity fractures. The article concludes by reflecting on the psychological cost of invisibility and the urgent need for new narratives of value beyond performance, with implications for mental health and youth policy.