To break free from the "cage of thought" and become a "cool adult"

Norihiko Sasaki, who has served as editor-in-chief of Toyo Keizai Online and NewsPicks, currently leads video-centric content production as CEO of NewsPicks Studios, a joint venture with Dentsu Inc. Starting his career as a reporter for an economic magazine, the skill he cultivated while expanding his professional scope—as an editor, executive, and video creator—is "editorial thinking."

Sasaki published "Editing Thinking" on October 4, 2019, systematizing this skill. He explains that his motivation stems particularly from his thoughts on young business professionals in their 20s and 30s. This is the second part of a conversation where Takuma Kudo, a Creative Strategist at Dentsu Inc. who knows Sasaki well, delves into his true intentions. ( Part 1 is here )

NewsPicks' Norihiko Sasaki (right) and Dentsu Inc. Solution Development Center's Takuma Kudo

Cultural literacy is especially effective for those seeking shortcuts

Sasaki: Another point I want to convey to young people is that the gap with top-tier leaders overseas isn't just about leadership experience—it's also about the gap in cultural literacy.

Kudo: This might be getting back to the fundamental question, but what exactly do you mean by "general knowledge," Sasaki-san?

Sasaki: "Universal knowledge about nature, people, and society." You could also call it knowledge that transcends time. Liberal arts education contains the correct answers humanity has arrived at through its journey. They say "history repeats itself," but humans don't change that much. Knowing just one correct answer is like possessing a universally applicable formula for success. Especially when combined with the latest developments, universal knowledge works exceptionally well.

To return to the example of Mr. Akio Morita: he studied physics. Physics is written as "the principles of things" (もののことわり). Perhaps because of this, when you read Mr. Morita's books, each message feels profoundly essential.

Morita himself confessed about Professor Tsunezaburo Asada, whom he studied under at Osaka University: "I can't help but feel I inherited from my teacher the entire framework for how to think about things, how to think about people—the very path of all thought."

You know how some people explain things at great length, saying things like "I think this, and I also think that"? It seems intellectual at first glance, but it's really saying nothing... What's important is being able to state things clearly, like "This is how it is." It's the same as making decisions.

Kudo: In Mr. Morita's case, he studied physics—a broad field of education that confronts the very roots of natural laws. That's precisely why he could discern the essence of things, right?

Sasaki: If you're concerned about cost-performance or efficiency, I actually think a broad education offers the best value for self-improvement. It's not about becoming a know-it-all who knows everything. Instead, it's better to have a field you love and can delve deeply into, whether it's film or literature. It doesn't even have to directly relate to your work. If it's something you enjoy, it makes life more fun, and learning about things you enjoy is important in itself.

Kudo: That reminds me—you often say things like, "I recently learned about XX. Based on that, what do you think of the idea of YYY?" When it comes to deepening your education, there's a difference between people who just absorb information and those who turn that input into output (action).

Sasaki: Even if it's not output, I think it's important to digest things internally. Your knowledge becomes your best mirror. When you ask yourself "Why do I like this?" or explore philosophy from all eras and cultures, you start to vaguely see where you fit within the bigger picture.

Kudo: So, through education, you come to understand yourself.

Sasaki: I'm 40 now, part of what's commonly called the "unconfused" generation. Being "unconfused" means knowing who you are and why you live. To reach that unconfused 40s, another crucial thing to do in your 30s is deepen your education.

Editing Thinking as a Career Design Tool

Kudo: Speaking of knowing oneself, I hear you often get career advice requests from young businesspeople, Sasaki-san.

Sasaki: I'm not sure if my advice is actually correct (laughs). But that's precisely why careers are all about editorial thinking. I think people could be a bit more flexible in their thinking. For example, a new graduate's career strategy like, "I want to become a manager someday, so first I'll join a strategy consulting firm or trading company to train and aim for management," is logical, but it lacks authenticity and feels boring, right? (laughs).

Instead, I think you'll see different possibilities if you consider new combinations or analyze currently trending job types. Even then, what matters isn't so much societal demand, but what you genuinely enjoy.

Kudo: NewsPicks has also recently featured special editions introducing various people's careers as "role models," right? Reading them, you see many aren't pure-bred, famous entrepreneurs, but rather people who've reached their current positions after several career changes across different industries and job types.

Sasaki: Most people only see the careers of seniors or alumni within their own company, which narrows their perspective. Going forward, the ways to build a career will become almost limitless, so it's good to curate your own path and look at people outside your circle.

Kazuhiro Fujiwara, who became Tokyo's first privately-sector-born middle school principal after working at Recruit, advocates the "Millions" concept: stacking three skills that make you one in a hundred creates a one-in-a-million talent. I think that's a brilliant idea. I hope everyone leverages this editing mindset to find their own unique path.

Kudo: Connecting past experiences and personal passions to deliver them as work or services to others, or deepening that expertise. Thinking about it that way, career design is also a very creative endeavor.

What to Do in Your 20s and 30s to Become a "Cool Adult"

Sasaki: If I had defined my career solely as a "text media editor," I'd be constantly thinking about things like how to change this article's title. While pursuing that deeply has value, it has limits. Text media has seen countless trials and errors; it's hard to produce truly new things there.

Instead, by considering how to distribute this content and its message, or whether to shift the expression itself to video or audio, or how to combine content creation know-how with other industries—these expanded options make creativity grow infinitely. That makes every day incredibly fun, and ultimately broadens your career.

Kudo: It's hard to describe what Sasaki-san does now with just one existing job title, but I feel he's truly a "practitioner of editorial thinking." While his work spans a wide range, it all converges on the act of editing. Of course, he is an editor, but he doesn't seem fixated on that title.

Sasaki: That might be true. Narrowly defined editors often have a strong sense of "this is how an editor should be." There's a certain coolness to that craftsmanship, but it also comes with a cost. As I mention in my book, "The Cage of Thought," if you narrow your own boundaries and limits, you risk missing opportunities to do what you truly want.

Kudo: When did you start shifting towards that way of thinking, Sasaki?

Sasaki: Actually, I think I've always felt this way, even since my student days. Back then, I wanted to become a politician, and politicians embody the ultimate form of editorial thinking. They edit all available resources to run a nation. I even studied abroad to become a politician, but I also realized that in today's world, becoming a politician from scratch doesn't change much.

What drew me to politics was the exciting job of "editing Japan." If that's the goal, I realized you don't necessarily need to be a politician to achieve it. Fukuzawa Yukichi made me see that. He changed Japan without ever entering politics or government, and he even became the portrait on the 10,000 yen bill. He created media, schools, and the Kyosonsha social club – these three institutions shaped the era.

Kudo: I feel like I can see the worldview you want to realize through NewsPicks more clearly now. Getting back to the topic, I think the "cage of thought" you mention traps not just individuals, but also units like startups and Japanese society itself, often without them realizing it. It's precisely because of this problem awareness you've had since your student days that 'Editing Thinking' presents the tools to break free from it.

Sasaki: Exactly. I want people in their 20s and 30s to utilize these tools and editorial thinking, take on leadership roles—even small ones—make decisions repeatedly, deepen their knowledge... and through this cycle, reach their 40s, the age of clarity. That is the secret to breaking away from the "middle-aged guy" within and becoming a "cool adult."

If I may add one final thought: While it's certainly my sincere wish for businesspeople in their 20s and 30s who aspire to thrive to become cool adults themselves, what lies deeper is my hope that this will increase the number of "comrades" who join me in editing Japan—this supremely fascinating material. We warmly welcome not only corporate employees but also those aiming for careers as bureaucrats or politicians to join this "wave." This is precisely what Yukichi Fukuzawa pursued with the Kojunsha, and wouldn't it be exciting to launch projects across organizational boundaries?

In the book Sony: Akio Morita—The Leader Who Made "Talent of the Era" Serious (by Kenji Mori), this quote from Masao Maruyama is introduced:

"The media at the cutting edge of any era attracts the 'talent of the times.'"

We at NewsPicks also aspire to remain a cutting-edge media platform, attracting the talents of the era to help create a new age.