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Japanese netizens discuss changes in parents: a generational struggle between gentleness and strictness
In recent years, with the change of social education concepts, more and more families and schools have begun to emphasize using love and communication instead of scolding and corporal punishment, and the way of educating children has become more gentle. This transformation has sparked discussions among many young Japanese netizens, especially as they look back at early 20th century anime works and feel that their parents were often more strict in the past. From this, many people have come to the conclusion that “previous parents were more terrifying
However, this view also triggered middle-aged netizens’ roast that parents of the previous generation were more strict. If every generation thinks that ‘the parents of the previous generation were more terrifying’, then aren’t ancient parents like demons? This article will take you to explore this interesting phenomenon together.
The harshness of traditional parents: the shadow of abusive education
In many Japanese cultural works of the past, parents’ education of their children was often accompanied by strict discipline of beating and scolding. This phenomenon is not only reflected in animation and film works, but also in actual families in society. The older generation of parents often emphasize discipline, authority, and strict requirements for their children, and many people shape their children’s behavior and morality through the practice of “filial piety under the rod”.
Young Japanese netizens have found that the image of parents in works before the 2000s is generally strict, and even occasionally uses corporal punishment. As a result, they formed the impression that their previous parents were even more terrifying. Many people believe that with the progress of the times, modern parents no longer rely on beating and scolding as they did in the past, but instead have more understanding and communication.
Refutation from middle-aged netizens: parents’ strictness is not a new phenomenon
Although young people believe that modern parents are gentler, middle-aged netizens do not agree with this view. They countered by saying, ‘The parents of the previous generation were even more terrifying than they are now.’ They recalled their childhood when parents often controlled their children’s behavior through strict discipline and even had absolute control over their children’s lives.
This intergenerational difference seems to make people feel that the strictness of parents continues to increase over time. Are ancient parents really as terrifying as demons? If every generation feels that their parents are stricter than the next generation, it seems to form a strange logical cycle.
Four hypotheses of Japanese netizens: How has the “tenderness” of parents evolved?
Some netizens have proposed four possible explanations for this phenomenon, analyzing the changes in parents’ “tenderness” in different eras through charts:
Sudden transformation typeParents have always been strict, until after the Showa era (1926-1989), they suddenly became gentle, and modern times are the first generation of gentle parents.
Gradually changing typeIn ancient times, parents were very strict, but over time, they gradually became gentle. Modern parents are the gentlest generation.
Periodic variation typeThe strictness and gentleness of parents exhibit cyclical changes, with some generations being very gentle while others are very strict. Modern times happen to be in a gentle cycle.
Sudden appearance of severe typeIn ancient times, parents were actually relatively gentle. It was not until modern times that the first group of strict parents emerged, and modern times have returned to a gentle state.
These explanations have sparked heated discussions among netizens. Those who support the first hypothesis believe that the social background of the Showa era, such as war and military influence, made the parents of that generation particularly strict.
Those who support the second hypothesis believe that with the popularization of human rights concepts, parents gradually realize that their children are also independent individuals, and therefore education methods are more respectful and inclusive.
The Impact of Social Progress: The Transformation of Human Rights and Family Education
In the eyes of netizens who support the second hypothesis, the strictness of parents is closely related to the awareness of human rights in society. Over time, the concept of human rights gradually extends to children, and parents no longer abuse their authority as in the past. Physical punishment and scolding are gradually seen as unreasonable educational methods.
Previously, parents’ power over their children’s life and death was reflected in various aspects of their lives, and they could easily decide their children’s fate. In modern times, children’s rights have been more protected, and parents have to pay more attention to communication and love education.
The Influence in Reality: The Pros and Cons of Gentle Education
Although more and more families are turning to gentle education methods, some people believe that overly gentle education may lead to children lacking sufficient discipline awareness. Some comments point out that modern children lack respect for authority, partly due to excessive tolerance from their parents. On the other hand, gentle educational methods emphasize understanding and communication, and children’s mental health and self-esteem receive more attention, which has a positive effect on their long-term growth.
The change in educational methods is a product of the times
The discussion among Japanese netizens about “parents becoming gentle” reveals the differences in educational methods between generations. This difference is not entirely due to individual parental choices, but is influenced by various factors such as society, culture, and human rights. The educational methods of every generation of parents are responding to the needs and challenges of the times, whether it is the strictness of the past or the gentleness of the present, they are all products of social progress and cultural change.
Ultimately, the tenderness of parents cannot be simply defined by a certain generation, it is the intersection of complex social and individual choices. Through this discussion, we can better understand the diversity of education and the evolution of family education in human history.