Japan as a society is becoming more and more worried about Freeters and NEETS. Freeters (pronounced fureetahsu) are people who work part time jobs as their job. NEETs are Not in Education, Employment, or Training. Everyday their numbers increase, and every day there are more and more theories about how their existance came to be.
Some obvious reasons might be that the economy is bad or that companies are laying off more and more workers. I have to agree, however, with those who say that the largest instigator of this phenomenon is the Japanese family system. In particular, I would like to blame Japanese mothers.
Yes, it is true that in order to get into good schools your child must study more than a child should have too, and that the stress caused by the entrance exams is really quite a lot for a ten year old. However, is it necessary for you to bring your child meals, clean their room, and do their regular school homework so that they can study for this test? Do you really feel that it is beneficial to do everything for your child so that they cannot make decisions for themselves and need you to finish their sentences and tell them how to speak properly in social situations?
The fact that the Japanese family is so tight-knit is wonderful, up to a point. The tradition that children live at home until they are married has caused young adults these days to become reliant on their families. There is no need to find a real job, because they can always live with their parents. Everything they need is provided for them; they do not have to struggle for anything.
Japan became the developed country it is now so quickly because of the hard work of the older generation, and the young adults and children today are reaping the benefits. But will this easygoing lifestyle lead to the fall of Japanese society? And is America going the same way?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Two of my ex-coworkers left because they wanted to go back to school. They weren't really the studious-type, but they did like to party. One of them lived with his parents while he worked here. This is not the type of job where one has to remain with one's parents for financial purposes. He wanted someone to do his laundry for him.
You should read ibn Khaldun. His theory rests (as I recall) with an eternal four-stage cycle that usually starts with the savage who overthrows the king and refuses to sleep indoors. His prowess diminishes with his son who thinks they should take advantage of their place in life and moves into the palace. The third generation is utterly useless and pampered, and then another savage comes and takes over that family's reign. Beautiful but frightening. Maybe it takes longer when we're talking about a more macro level or in an age/place where we don't sell our daughters for camels.
Post a Comment