[Kim Seong-kon] Smart way to bridge generations

Recently, I came across an interesting article in Time magazine titled “The Me Me Me Generation.” The article points out that millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, often have symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder. For example, young people frequently upload pictures of themselves onto social media sites for their “followers” to praise. In addition, these young people are so confident in themselves that they believe they are entitled to virtually everything. 

The Time article highlights some common symptoms of today’s young Americans. It states, for example, that in the 1970s, parents tried to improve their kids’ chances of success by instilling self-esteem. It seems like instead of promoting a healthy dose of self-esteem, parents have boosted their kids’ narcissism. Besides, too much self-esteem has its downsides. As the article points out, “Self-esteem is great for getting a job or hooking up at a bar, but not so great for keeping a job or a relationship.” It explains why today’s young Americans have a marked tendency to migrate from one job to another and from one lover to another; too much narcissism disguised as self-esteem.

The article also introduces a book by Mark Bauerlein called “The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don’t Trust Anyone under 30).” The subtitle is quite hilarious because in the 1960s, young Americans ― who have now grown old ― boldly declared, “Don’t trust anyone over 30!” Now as the old guard, they are ironically preaching the opposite of what they once proclaimed: “Don’t trust anyone under 30!” Regarding the generation gap, Bauerlein’s book is full of interesting and astute points. For example, he writes, “To develop intellectually you’ve got to relate to older people, older things: 17-year-olds never grow up if they’re just hanging around other 17-years-olds.” Alas, however, today’s young people like to socialize only with their peers and thus never seem to grow up, like modern-day Peter Pans.

According to the article, the “Me Me Me Generation” exhibits not only narcissism but also anxiety. Exceedingly dependent on the smartphone, young people have a constant fear and anxiety of being disconnected and missing out. That is why they become restless when they lose their smartphones, and why they constantly stare at their screens, even when in a lecture hall. That is why they become agitated when they do not receive an immediate response after sending a text message, and why they often experience “phantom pocket vibration syndrome.”

The witty reporter of the Time article writes, “This is a generation that would have made Walt Whitman wonder if maybe they should try singing a song of someone else.” During the 19th century, Whitman composed a celebrated poem called “The Song of Myself,” in order to inspire Americans to have self-esteem and to break free from European cultural influence. Today, the “Me Me Me Generation” no longer needs Whitman’s poem; they need “The Song of Someone Else.”

Nevertheless, before we dismiss the younger generation, we should listen to what they have to say as well. We tend to stereotype kids today as shallow and superficial, simply because they learn everything on a screen. In the eyes of the younger generation, however, it is the older generation that looks pathetic; many older people cannot conduct a basic Internet search or send a text. Older people also stick to inefficient and outdated ways of doing things. For example, some may still think that the only way to conduct research is to go to a library. Oftentimes, however, a trip to the library is no longer necessary. An overwhelming amount of information can be instantly accessed through a simple Internet search on a smartphone. This is the new reality in which we now live. If older folks do not embrace and utilize new technologies, they will lose touch with reality and eventually live in another world.

Every generation criticizes its successor, labeling younger folks as presumptuous, impudent or freakish. We should remember, however, that we, too, were once young and reckless, presumptuous and insolent, and just as criticized by the generation above us. Some may say that this time things are different, and that the chasm between the younger and older generation is unprecedentedly huge and irreducible due to the arrival of the Internet and countless electronic gadgets. In reality, however, things are not as bad as they look. These days, almost all adults carry smartphones and can communicate with young people through social media; many older folks, too, can text, tweet and even update their Facebook pages. They can also download files and upload videos onto YouTube.

In fact, never before has communication between the older and younger generations been so easy, thanks to the smartphone. We should neither despair nor be antagonistic. Today, we can truly communicate with each other through social media regardless of age or cultural differences. Thanks to the smartphone, parents and children can communicate freely every day. Contrary to popular belief, the smartphone can bridge the generation gap.

By Kim Seong-kon
 
Kim Seong-kon is a professor of English at Seoul National University and president of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. He can be reached at sukim@snu.ac.kr. ― Ed.