Generational Differences Have Always Existed

gpt-4-turbo has translated this article into English.

I recently read a post on the internet about someone struggling with generational differences.
The endless debate over generational differences makes me realize that everyone has their own perceptions and emotions.

But is generational difference really such a special problem?
In fact, it is not. Generational differences have always existed and will continue to be a universal experience for humanity.

Generational Differences Since Ancient Times

Ancient Greece

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates is known to have criticized the younger generation with the following words:

“The youth of today love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.”

While the exact source of this quote is disputed, it reflects the general sentiment among the upper classes around the 5th century BC.

Aristotle in his “Rhetoric” said this about older people:

“They are cynical and full of complaints because they have been deceived or harmed often throughout their lives; they are not very desirous, stingy, and timid.”

This captures not just the characteristics of the youth, but also the middle-aged and elderly generations of the time.

Roman Era

The Roman poet Horace wrote in the “Odes, Book III” around 20 BC:

“Our fathers, viler than our grandfathers, have begotten us, who are even viler, and we shall bring forth a progeny more degenerate still.”

This skepticism and lamentation about one’s own generation strikingly resemble what we say today.

Also in 1624, a document stated:

“The youth have never been more insolent, nor lacked reverence and respect for authority.”

Thus, from ancient to modern times, people have always worried about and complained about the next generation.

Eastern Classics

Similar sentiments have long existed in the East as well.

In the “Book of Rites” an ancient Chinese text, it says:

“The youth of today do not show proper respect to their parents or their teachers.
They speak as equals to their elders, disregard manners, and behave frivolously.”

The “Han Shu” states:

“The later generations only read books and do not know the rites, thus the Way declines.”

All these examples indicate one thing:
Generational differences are not exceptional occurrences unique to specific times but are rather a natural phenomenon of human society that repeats across ages.

Perception of Generations in Korean Tradition

Korean society too has long pondered over the differences in perception between generations.
The late Joseon scholar Lee Deok-moo in “Cheongjanggwanjeonseo” remarked:

“Nowadays, the youth only focus on skills of the hands and have no interest in cultivating their minds. They laugh at the mention of the old ways as outdated, speak curtly and hastily, showing no intent to convey deep meanings.”

This is not merely an intent to criticize the younger generation, but an observation that the pace of the world changes, altering the methods of conversation and education.

Furthermore, the Silhak scholar Jeong Yak-yong in “Mongmin Simseo” expressed concerns about the attitudes of young officials:

“Recently, the young ones only learn superficial etiquette and eloquence, and do not seek the virtue of governing the people kindly.”

The late Joseon Neo-Confucian scholar Yi I also pointed out in “Seonghosaseol”:

“The respect for elders has collapsed, and the youth, thinking themselves superior, find the old ways bothersome.”

These texts clearly show that generational perception differences are not merely a modern societal issue.
Generational conflicts have existed through the ages, and the conflicts we experience are on the continuum of this history.

Generational Differences are Natural

As times change, so does the civic image that society demands.
Values change, technologies change, and the grammar of living changes.
Thus, education changes, and training changes.
As a result, each generation grows up with different worldviews, languages, and behavioral norms.

Asking “Why do they think like that?” is the wrong question.
‘Because that’s how they grew up’ makes them different.
Generational differences aren’t a ‘problem that shouldn’t happen,’
they are proof that society is functioning normally.
This difference is not something to avoid but a precondition to be accepted.

What’s important is not ‘whether generational differences exist or not,’
but what role and attitude a person who recognizes these differences adopts.
And those who should be capable of this are the seniors with experience and wisdom.

The Responsibility of Being a Senior

Having years does not simply mean being older.
Rather, it signifies that one’s perception has opened to understanding ‘differences’ in a changing world.
And with it comes the responsibility and attitude to respect and adjust, not deny or ignore these differences.

The perception differences between generations have always existed.
And it has always been the older generation that needed to bridge these gaps first.

We were able to communicate with the adults of the past not because we were exceptional,
but because they approached us, started conversations, and tried to understand first.
Without their efforts, we would not be where we are today.
Thus, being a senior is not about authority but responsibility.
And this responsibility extends beyond mere ‘sympathy’ to connecting differences through systems and structures.

In Conclusion

Generational differences are not a new phenomenon.
Rather, how we respond when faced with these differences is what matters.
The attempt to recognize and adjust to differences is precisely the role this era expects from seniors.

Generations will always change.
What remains is, those who accept the differences and seek to connect.