My Generation and My Grandparents' Generation

By Emika Uetake

When I talk to my grandmother, we sometimes feel some differences between us. I sometimes talk about people who are popular recewntly, but my greandmother sometimes talks about people who were popular before I was born. There are several differences between my generation and my grandparents’ generation.

First of all, my generation has many kinds of food like French, Italian, Indian and junk food. Almost all teenagers go to McDonalds or Japanese junk food shops called Mos Burger, Mr. Doughnut and so on to talk or study with friends after school. Of courwse, we eat Japanese foods, but we eat other kinds of food as much as them. On the other hand, my grandparents’ generation usually eats Japanese tradition foods. Basically, Japanese foods use vegetables, fish and shellfish, and rice. Japanese foods are a little salty by healthy. When I visit my grandmother’s house, I usuallyt eat rice, miso soup, pickled cucumbers or Japanese radishes,, and grilled fish. These foods make me relaxed (I want to eat them now!). She rarely eats meat or junk food. I have been to McDonald’s with her once, but then she couldn’t understand what the menu meant. I was surprised at that because it is common sense in my generation.

My generation’s education is also different from my grandparents’ generation. My generation is called “Yutori education generation.” “Yutori” means “less strenuous.” When I was an elementary school student, the system started. We had had to go to school on Saturday before then, but it was abolished. Ranges which we have to study when we are elementary school students decreased. However, my grandparents’ generation’s education was very strict and strange. When students did bad things, teacher spanked without mercy. Girls were studying about home economics while boys were studying about industrial arts. I teachers spank students now, parents called “monster parents” will come to school immediately and “spank” (argue with and bawl out) teachers. “Monster parents” means some parents are overprotective of their children, so parents complain to teachers immediately even if their kids couldn’t lead in a play. Therefore, when families go to daycare or elementary school’s concert, we can see six princesses and six prices. It is strange, but teachers did it as a last resort. It is inconceivable in my grandparents’ generation.

As you know, now life is very convenient. There are a lot of things in Japan, and even things which people don’t need can exist. For example, I have a number of pens, but I don’t need almodt all the pens which I have. Just about 10 pens are enough for me When I go to shop to buy a pen, there are many kinds of pens in a shop. It makes me confused. I always waver about which pens I buy. However, when my grandparents were children, they coulden’t buy even a pen. There weren’t a lot os things including pens in Japan after World War II. In addition, they couldn’t eat enough foods. Their life started from zero after that. They made all things from nothing. They had nothing, but that made them strong. This is the biggest difference between my generation and my grandparents’ generation.

I think my generation has to learn from my grandparents’ generation. My grandparents’ generation was strict and hard, but my generation is weak as if we soaked in a hot spring. Japanese like hot springs, but we have to step out of the tub before we feel dizzy. My grandparents’ generation has a lot of good ways to fix Japan now.