The Big Read: Generational gap — a bridge too far or are we … – CNA

Sociologist Shannon Ang of the Nanyang Technological College (NTU) mentioned these generalisations are, for essentially the most half, problematic.

The assistant professor mentioned: “It is much better to grasp generational change broadly as a course of that’s formed by shared historic context, with out attempting to position labels and stereotypes by using arbitrary chosen ranges of delivery years.”

A latest ballot by the Nationwide Youth Council (NYC) discovered that about one in two respondents really feel that intergenerational variations are a difficulty right here, with greater settlement seen amongst youths.

However these conflicts will not be as critical or as urgent as different social points, mentioned respondents, although two in 5 agree that they might have an effect on office relationships between colleagues and hinder widespread targets for Singapore’s progress.

The NYC Youth Sentiment Ballot on Intergenerational Relations surveyed 700 Singaporeans earlier this month, comprising 500 respondents aged between 16 and 34, and 200 older respondents aged 35 and above.

The ballot additionally unveiled perceptions that every technology holds in the direction of one another.

Not less than one in two non-youths describe the youthful technology as “carefree, idealistic and entitled” whereas at the least three in 5 youths view the older technology as “conservative, cussed and hardworking”.

4 in 5 youths additionally really feel that the older generations are too fastened of their methods and traditions, whereas one in two non-youths really feel that the youthful generations are much less resilient and have a brief consideration span.

But regardless of their perceptions of each other, the survey discovered {that a} majority in each teams see worth within the different, significantly in bringing contemporary views — the older technology with their life experiences, and the youthful technology with their creativity.

Such sentiments are additionally mirrored in TODAY’s interviews with over 20 people throughout the totally different generations.

And whereas there’s a clear generational distinction in viewpoints — significantly on attitudes towards LGBTQ (lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, queer) points, environmental conservation, individualism versus collectivism, in addition to marriage and parenthood — there’s, in some situations, widespread floor beneath the floor and an acknowledgement that there’s a lot to study from the totally different views.

LGBTQ ISSUES

With the worldwide push for consciousness of LGBTQ points intensifying in recent times, particularly throughout social media, it comes as no shock that general acceptance of LGBTQ individuals is excessive amongst youths.

This was additionally among the many findings of the inaugural TODAY Youth Survey launched final 12 months, which polled 1,066 respondents between the ages of 18 and 35.

In 2019, a door-to-door survey performed by CNA, which concerned over 1,200 respondents from totally different age teams, noticed a divide between the teams on how they view LGBTQ points.

When requested in the event that they agreed, disagreed or had been impartial to not exposing their youngster to LGBTQ influences, 69.eight per cent of child boomers agreed. In distinction, solely 39.6 per cent of millennials agreed.

Equally, when the respondents had been requested if they might have constructive or damaging feelings if their youngster had been LGBTQ, 61.5 per cent of boomers indicated “damaging” in contrast with 37.5 per cent of millennials.

Talking to TODAY for this report, older people attributed the generational variations to the norms on gender and sexuality which have been handed down from the generations earlier than them and enforced of their households and communities.

Certainly one of them is Mrs Michelle Ng, 64, who initially had bother accepting that her daughter is in a same-sex relationship.

The homemaker, who additionally works as a part-time cat-sitter, mentioned there was additionally lots of strain from the elders in her household to “increase her daughter the proper method”, that means her daughter ought to have a secure job, get married to a “good” man, and have kids.

This strain was additionally keenly felt by Madam Norhayati Alwi, 62, when her son, Mr Fairul Edham Hirdayat, got here out overtly as homosexual. Mr Fairul, 35, recalled how his mom was shunned by the household attributable to her extra liberal beliefs.

The freelance performer mentioned: “My mum has at all times been very open-minded. And I feel that’s why there’s some falling out with family members as a result of it’s fairly evident that the way in which she does issues is totally different from all people else.”