Uploaded November 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
📰 Subscribe to Maiden Mother Matriarch here to listen to full extended episodes: louiseperry.substack.com
My guest today is Joshua Dale, professor at Chuo University in Tokyo and author of 'Irresistible: How Cuteness Wired our Brains and Changed the World'. We spoke about the historical roots of the Japanese passion for cuteness, the differences in pre-modern attitudes towards children in Japan and Europe, the role of domestication syndrome in the development of cuteness, and why Hello Kitty doesn't have a mouth.
In the extended part of the episode we also spoke about Lolita fashion in Japan, how cultural attitudes have changed towards cute pets, and the invention of emojis.
00:15 History of cuteness in Japan
02:40 European attitude towards cuteness
06:01 Art history and children
10:30 Periods of peace and cuteness
12:49 20th Century
14:30 Why cuteness has this timeless quality
18:05 Domestication syndrome
23:23 Physical characteristics of cuteness
24:42 Dog-breeding for cuteness
27:21 Hello Kitty
29:00 Culture swing towards cuteness and women’s culture
31:32 Lolita fashion style
MMM is sponsored by 321 - a new online introduction to Christianity, presented by former MMM guest Glen Scrivener. Check it out for free at 321course.com/MMM. Just enter your email, choose a password and you’re in — there’s no spam and no fees.
The MMM podcast can also be found on Apple, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms: https://linktr.ee/maidenmothermatriarch
Follow Maiden Mother Matriarch on social media:
Twitter: @maiden_podcast
Instagram: @maiden_mother_matriarch
TikTok: @maiden_podcast
#LouisePerry #kawaii #MaidenMotherMatriarch
📰 Subscribe to Maiden Mother Matriarch here to listen to full extended episodes: louiseperry.substack.com
My guest today is Joshua Dale, professor at Chuo University in Tokyo and author of 'Irresistible: How Cuteness Wired our Brains and Changed the World'. We spoke about the historical roots of the Japanese passion for cuteness, the differences in pre-modern attitudes towards children in Japan and Europe, the role of domestication syndrome in the development of cuteness, and why Hello Kitty doesn't have a mouth.
In the extended part of the episode we also spoke about Lolita fashion in Japan, how cultural attitudes have changed towards cute pets, and the invention of emojis.
00:15 History of cuteness in Japan
02:40 European attitude towards cuteness
06:01 Art history and children
10:30 Periods of peace and cuteness
12:49 20th Century
14:30 Why cuteness has this timeless quality
18:05 Domestication syndrome
23:23 Physical characteristics of cuteness
24:42 Dog-breeding for cuteness
27:21 Hello Kitty
29:00 Culture swing towards cuteness and women’s culture
31:32 Lolita fashion style
MMM is sponsored by 321 - a new online introduction to Christianity, presented by former MMM guest Glen Scrivener. Check it out for free at 321course.com/MMM. Just enter your email, choose a password and you’re in — there’s no spam and no fees.
The MMM podcast can also be found on Apple, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms: https://linktr.ee/maidenmothermatriarch
Follow Maiden Mother Matriarch on social media:
Twitter: @maiden_podcast
Instagram: @maiden_mother_matriarch
TikTok: @maiden_podcast
#LouisePerry #kawaii #MaidenMotherMatriarch
