EY Y04 L35 Generation Gap

This week’s Questions

Who is the oldest person you know well? It could be family member, a friend, a coworker or a neighbor. Approximately how old are they? How do you know them? How often do you see them? What do you tend to talk about?
Tell us about something that they have said, or that they think, that you think is very much typical of their generation but not of yours.
Do you have friends who are much older or younger than you? Is it easy for you to talk to people from different generations or do you prefer to have friends who are a similar age?
There are many generations in Japan that we often associate with "jidai" such as "showa jidai" or "taisho jidai". Tell us about a generation that thinks or acts very differently to other generations in Japan.
Do you think that you have an easier life or a more difficult life than the previous generation? Why?
What do young people in Japan have to face (struggle with) that you did not?

This week’s Responses

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Teacher’s Compositions

by D'Vonne Brock

October 5, 2022

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Question 1

My great grandmother lived to be 93 years old. I knew her very well because I sometimes stayed at her house during summer vacation when I was in elementary school. I obviously kept visiting her even as I got older. After I moved to Japan in Winter 2008 I could only see her when I came back to visit the US. She passed away in 2012. When I was young she told me about history and how things had changed over the years. She taught me to be thankful for what I have and to always be kind to others.

Question 2

I think that her generation had a larger variety of experiences in a short time. She was born when the economy was beginning to boom and then lived through the Great Depression and World War II. She saw how quickly technology became a part of our lives and how quickly people changed, as well. I don't think any generation will ever experience such drastic changes the way hers did. They were definitely strong to live through so much.

Question 3

I can talk with and befriend people of all ages. Since I grew up around my great grandparents, it's not hard to understand the viewpoints of other generations. I do enjoy talking about 90s nostalgia with other 90s kids, though!

Question 4

The Showa period is so long it is impossible to say that all people born in this time period are similar. Of course there are many noticeable differences between younger and older people in Japan, as there are in all countries. I think the older generation is handling the transition towards a more technologically advanced lifestyle pretty well, though many still prefer the old fashioned lifestyle.

Question 5

I don't really think it's fair to say that someone has an easier or harder life than someone else since we all have different circumstances and experiences in life. I am grateful, however, to have been born in the mid 80s so I could enjoy both analog and digital lifestyles. I kind of feel bad for the younger generation because they didn't get that kind of experience, when we used to go out and play with our friends, no cell phones, no social media. Just plain old fun.

Question 6

Social media is one thing I'm concerned about. Young people feel pressured to build and keep up this ideal (and fake) image of themselves. Cyber bullying is a very real threat to the mental health of the younger generation. I worry that they spend too much time online and not enough time experiencing real life.