Dec 3, 2010

Strawberry Generation

▲Picture from:

1: Sir! Why did you fire me?
2: Strawberry generation is not welcomed in our company.
3: Nonsense! Which part of me looks like a strawberry generation?
4: Tell me! Which part!
Footnote for "strawberry generation": the post 1980s, who grow up in a protected environment and are considered unable to endure hardship. A word from Taiwan.

When people born in the 80’s were still in their teenage year, they were labeled as “Strawberry Generation”. And now it is our (people who born in the 90’s) turn to be called with the same name. What are the traits of Strawberry Generation? The following lists the familiar points which are used as the description of the 80’s or 90’s youngsters: low endurance, low stability, insufficient ability, hylicism, hedonism, irresponsible, and the last one is an idiom “fastidious and demanding but inept”.


With regard to this stigma, I think there is a slang that can be perfectly used to express my thought: one swallow does not make a summer. Those who call us “Strawberry Generation” only see things from one angle. They focus on us youngsters only. According to what they say, it seems that it is our fault for being young. So here I would like to ask some questions: Haven’t you elders once been young? Is that you all born with talents when you were young?

Let’s step back and put the whole things into perspective. Except for the intrinsic attributes of young people, there are two other reasons that lead to the emergence of Strawberry Generation. One is the prejudice of elders; the other is working conditions.

Take the managerial level for instance; they think that people born in the 80’s have low endurance, and are easily frustrated. So they use “Strawberry Generation” as an excuse to mock at rookies who make mistakes in work. Nevertheless, I don’t think this kind of irony can inspire the youngsters. No one likes to be blame, even those who born in the 60’s or70’s are alike, it is natural and normal. I think the elders should guide and instruct freshmen instead of refusing to hire us.

In our generation, working conditions get worsen owing to economic declination. The quality of salary reduced while the quantity of work doubled. Moreover, we get the Bachelor degree or master degree, but we can only do the job that can not satisfy us. If we can’t find fulfillment in working, how can we work with passion? I think the employers should give the youths more opportunities. After training, a strawberry will become a lychee which is rough outside but juicy inside.

▲Picture from:







5 comments:

  1. I don’t think that people who were born in the 80’s and 90’s should be labeled as “Strawberry Generation.” People who possess a fine exterior but a rotten interior used to described as the members belonged to “Strawberry Generation.” In my opinion, “Strawberry Generation” can only describe certain type of people who lack the ability of taking pressure and frustration instead of dishonoring the victims who born in the 80’s and 90’s. And I believe that the “Strawberry Generation” type of people does exist in every generation.

    Undeniably, our living background can attribute to the reason why we youngsters have to shoulder the stigma of “Strawberry Generation.” Since the society is getting more and more competitive and the probability of people suffer from modern diseases increases year by year, the importance of relaxation has been awaken nowadays. In order not to suffer from modern diseases such as depression and endocrine disorders which cause by great pressure, we tend to know more about how to relieve ourselves.

    We are imposed on the title of “Strawberry Generation” can also result from people who are not able to appreciate the creativity and diversity of dealing things of our generation. However, I think that it’s not necessary to take this stigma too seriously as long as we are confident of our abilities and try to prove to others that we don’t fit the stereotype of our generation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Since you mention the fine appearance, I would like to talk about it. According to what the chairman of Career (Wong Jing-yu) said, one of the qualities of “Strawberry Generation” is caring about the exterior a lot. I think what she means is that young people should improve the interior instead of care about how they looks. However, I think that well dress up is a politeness.

      Moderate pressure can make us grow while too much pressure will trigger some bad effects. Few days ago, there was a senior in our school committed suicide. A specimen of suffering from modern diseases just happened around us.

      In the last paragraph of your response, I can’t understand what is “the creativity and diversity of dealing things of our generation”. Can you explain more? By the way, I can’t agree with you more that it’s not necessary to take this stigma too seriously as long as we are confident of our abilities.



      Down here I write a draft of the letter we have to send to the editor:

      "Dear editor of CHEERS Magazine,

      After reading the interview of Jiang You-bo, we think that people should not impute the phenomenon of “Strawberry Generation” to the youngster’s personal problem only. The environmental problem is one of the factors, too. In our generation, working conditions get worsen owing to economic declination. The quality of salary reduced while the quantity of work doubled. It is harder for us to find a job after graduation than those who born in the 60’s and 70’s. Trace back to the earlier age, Taiwan is awash with cash. So, comparing with the two generation, it is no wonder that we will have more pressure than the elders.

      Also, people should not regard all who are under the age of thirty as people with fine exterior but rotten interior. One swallow does not make a summer. We are confident of our abilities, and we will prove to others that we are not in the category of “Strawberry Generation”.

      Best, Shirley and Elsa"

      If you have any other ideas or you find some grammatically errors in the letter, tell me and we can discuss it. Since the deadline is tomorrow, let’s speed up!

      Delete
  2. What I’m trying to say is that we may not deal with all kinds of situation with certain principles that the elders used to follow. However, we youngsters will try to deal with things and difficulties properly in our own style.

    Besides, I would like to add some comments on Jiang You-bo’s statement. Soon afterwards lots of people who are under 30-something attack him for being too critical to show their resentment. Actually, not willing to cooperate with people under thirty is only Jiang’s personal choice and business strategy. His decision shouldn’t be judged as completely right or wrong by others and exaggerated by the media intentionally. And we can’t deny that his descriptions of the youngsters nowadays are all misunderstandings. But the thing that we can by sure of is that people under thirty shouldn’t be considered useless merely based on his personal opinion.

    I think the letter is quite well. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I got it. Thanks for you explanation.



      I will add your comments into the second paragraph, so the final version of our letter will be:

      "After reading the interview of Jiang You-bo, we think that people should not impute the phenomenon of “Strawberry Generation” to the youngster’s personal problem only. The environmental problem is one of the factors, too. In our generation, working conditions get worsen owing to economic declination. It is harder for us to find a job after graduation than those who born in the 60’s and 70’s. Trace back to the earlier age, Taiwan is awash with cash. So, comparing with the two generation, it is no wonder that we will have more pressure than the elders.

      Soon afterwards lots of people who are under 30-something attack Jiang You-bo for being too critical to show their resentment. Actually, not willing to cooperate with people under thirty is only Jiang’s personal choice and business strategy. His decision shouldn’t be judged as completely right or wrong by others and exaggerated by the media intentionally. And we can’t deny that his descriptions of the youngsters nowadays are all misunderstandings. But the thing that we can by sure of is that people under thirty shouldn’t be considered useless merely based on his personal opinion.

      Also, people should not regard all who are under the age of thirty as people with fine exterior but rotten interior. One swallow does not make a summer. We are confident of our abilities, and we will prove to others that we are not in the category of “Strawberry Generation”."

      :)

      Delete
  3. Dear Elsa and Shirley,

    I am Doris, the instructor at FJU.

    Wow, it’s neat that Elsa actually found a comic from the Web regarding this issue.

    I do think that with more advanced technologies, and more opportunities for creativity, your generation do outperform the older generations. You will just have to defend yourselves and show it!

    Oh, for your letter, I see that you did follow the letter format.

    OK!

    Doris

    ReplyDelete