Rethinking well-being in capitalist value-centered societies: football in Japan as contemporary capitalistic ritual

This paper aims to reflect upon the cultural impact of neoliberal capitalism on the experientiality of contemporary rituals as potential sources of well-being. After modeling a theoretical framework that positions the concepts of rituals, well-being and development within the contemporary context, the paper focuses on the ontology of contemporary capitalistic rituals, a newly proposed category that arguably better situates many modern rituals within the current global context. In conclusion, drawing on an ethnographic case study among Japanese professional football supporters, the paper demonstrates how sports mega-events can be categorized as contemporary capitalistic rituals and play a central role in modeling well-being and happiness in urban settings.