A summary of the introduction and table of contents of The Barbarian Invasion: Mari Yamazaki Speaks at Length, co-authored by Yamazaki Mari (ヤマザキマリ) and Seino Yumi (清野由美). The book compares changes in modern society with the collapse of ancient Rome and argues that the value of intelligence is being called into question.
The book describes the historical background of ancient Rome, surveying the period from the rule of the Five Good Emperors through economic collapse and dependence on mercenaries. Aqueducts and Roman roads, exemplars of civil engineering, were built, and identity as Roman citizens was emphasised, but the empire declined after a period of division and disorder.
Using this historical framework, the book attempts to interpret phenomena such as immigration, rising prices and the flood of information in modern society through the metaphor of “the barbarian invasion.” It points to challenges including the weakening of values such as freedom and equality and the decline in the value of intelligence caused by dissemination through social media.
The authors explain that “the barbarian invasion” does not refer directly to immigration, but is a metaphor for fear and anxiety about changes in modern society. They emphasise the difficulty of preserving the postwar peace and prosperity built by the grandparents' generation and question the role of intelligence in the modern era.
As figures capable of overcoming this crisis, the authors identify people with genius-level imagination known as “visionaries,” citing the role of modern cultural figures and artists. Yamazaki Mari (ヤマザキマリ) is positioned as a modern-day guide, and the book sets out to explore the future together with its readers.