MiHyang's Blog

Sexuality

2007-01-24T22:13:00.000-08:00

The topic of sexuality is a sensitive among teenagers and their parents. Teenagers are not fully mature to decide on their own. The most of times, it will help them if they talked with their parents and follow the decision that they came up with parents. This can be easy for some other topics, but the topic of sexuality will be very difficult for the teenagers to discuss with their parents, especially for Japanese teenagers. It is socially known that sex life should be private and should not be a part of their daily life. Therefore, to talk about sex, Japanese teenagers will have difficult time. However, in U.S. sex life is also see a part of their daily life not something that should be private. In U.S., they try to open this topic of sexuality in public so that teenagers can reach for help when they need it. The school also holds sexuality classes where teenagers can learn what to do and what not to do. That does not necessary mean that teenagers of U.S. talk about their sex life with their friends, but it is most likely that they will have correct information about it. On the other hand, teenagers of U.S. gets ‘double aspects’ of sexuality. Since U.S. is Christian society, teenagers hear that sex before marriage is bad, but what they see from the media is sex. Currently, the pregnancy of teenagers is seen as social problem for both Japan and U.S. It will be impossible to stop teenagers from having sex, but education of sexuality will certainly help teenagers from making mistakes without information. Some people say that this education will encourage the teenagers to have sex, but it will be better for the teenagers to know what they are doing than doing it without knowing.

Friendship

2007-01-24T21:53:00.000-08:00

Among teenagers, friendship plays one of the most important roles in their life. When teenagers are attending school, friends are the ones who they spend the most of their time with. Friends are also the ones who will go through similar experiences in both U.S and Japan. Despite the difference of culture, it is true that friends are important part of life of teenagers. However, the meaning of a friend is different and the relationship with friends is different in U.S and Japan. First of all, friend in Japan are only available among people who are same age or a year difference. On the other hand, in U.S, friend can be in any age. The only requirement to become a friend is whether you can get along with each other. Many people, who have big age difference, will become a friend and call their relationship a friendship. Secondly, when love becomes in a way of friendship, the reaction of U.S and Japanese teenagers is different. Teenagers also can have a boyfriend or a girlfriend and have a love relationship, which is true for most of teenagers in both countries. However, after one friend starts a love relationship, the friendship changes in Japan. Japanese teenagers automatically will be spending more time with their friends. This will make a gap among their friendship. However, American teenagers will bring their boyfriend or a girlfriend into their group of friends. These two extreme differences is a result of social concept of love. In Japan, it is socially accepted that love should not be a part from their normal life when U.S sees a love should be a part of their daily life. Lastly, the difference of a friendship can be seen when family takes place. In Japan, friendship is also seen as a different part of their life from family. Family should not be involved in their friendship. However, in the U.S, there are many chances that a teenager will bring his or her friend to house and spend time with his or her family. Many of these differences seen in two countries come from different culture and social concept.

Materialism

2006-11-28T04:55:00.000-08:00

The population of the world is in materialism. Once living standard has improved, desire for materials has grown greatly. The teens are also desiring materials that is not necessary for living but for entertainments or attractions. Companies recognized the market of teens; therefore, they influences teens and get influenced by teens at the same time. Even though the world shares same concept that teens are one of the markets that companies should consider about, the tools and ways are different in American and Japan. In America, the market of teens is not unified as one. It can be explained by wide region of the states and wide range of different people from different backgrounds. The companies in America try to differentiate the groups and impose different popular products. On the other hand, Japanese companies have different influence on teens. They attempt to inspire teens to be attracted to one unified products. The tools for influence are similar for both countries. For example, there are magazines, media, newspapers and manga, but magazines are more often used in Japan while media is more often used in America. Manga is not a popular tool in America, but it is starting to be used in the advertisements.
Not only companies are influencing teens but teens also influences companies. They give efforts to listen to teens and make the right product that teens’ desire. In both countries, America and Japan, teen used Internet to express their feelings and desires. Therefore, the Internets are widely used for the companies to detect what teens want. The surveys on the streets and comments on the products are also other tools for both America and Japan. The both ways of influences shape the market and popular culture for teens. The materialism among teens are also made and shaped by desires of teens.

School

2006-11-11T21:56:00.000-08:00

School is not a place where students just gain academic knowledge but also learn how to have a relationship with others in any country in the world. However, different countries have different school systems. Some countries systems, like Japan, are concentrated more on nation wide unified academics while other countries, like America, are concentrated more on finding individual interests and characteristics. This also directly connects to different characteristics of family in two countries, which shows difference culture of two.
Japanese school system is heavily focused on entrance of university. In the other words, all students in Japan get unified academic studies to enter a university. Since most of students are only focused on entrance exam for a university, they do not get many chances to have close relationship with teachers. It is because of number of students in a class and strict cultural rules between older and younger people. Japanese students also have more subjects that they have to study than American students. In America, they study fewer subjects, but have smaller number of students in the class. Students also have closer relationships with teachers than Japanese students, and a student and a teacher could become a friend. Some students have very close relationship with teachers that they even talked to teachers about their private life. American schools also have flexibility to school system. It is not difficult to see different school systems in different regions. This flexibility gives individuals to think about what they want to do after they graduate.
Japanese and American schools have different systems, but students of both countries gain knowledge and meet friends. However, just like difference in family, Japanese school is more unified while American school concentrates on individuals. Just like Japanese school, Korean school has very unified system; most students are concentrated on entering a university. In my own opinion, both type of schools have strong and weak points. Japanese school gives unification between students while American school gives chance for students to choose their future.

First essay on family

2006-10-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Everyone will agree that many different forms of family exist today in different countries or even in the same country. Despite the fact that every family is different, it is definitely the most important and major influence of one’s life in both America and Japan. However, families have different values in these two different cultures; Americans concentrate more on individual members of family while Japanese concentrate on family as one.
According to the book, “The Material Child” and comments from students in America, it is believed that happiness of individual members in family should be pursued in order to achieve better family. For example, divorce or remarriage of parents are more accepted and opened issue in America. These actions are understood as the right of parents to follow their happiness. If they cannot be happy even if they are keeping family together, the family cannot be truly happy. As a result, even with divorcing or remarrying, parents are not necessary criticized. Children also have lighter pressure of continuing family business or family line from family than Japanese children. They are more open to opportunities and have more freedom to choose their future. It is because they believe that children also deserve to be happy. On the other hand, Japanese see happiness of family comes from the sacrifices of individual member. Due to this belief, divorce is seen as a selfish action and it will be definitely criticized by society in Japan. In any situation, it is seen as action of breaking the family apart. Many Japanese children also carry pressure that they have to carry on with family business or family line. Sometimes, they do not have option to decide their future, but everything is there for them. It is understood that these sacrifices that they make will keep family together and way to happiness of family.
Even both America and Japan expect better family in different ways, it is clear that family is important for people in both countries. It is important because it “still [is] the most powerful impact on their adolescent children.” (White, 51).

2006-10-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is MiHyang Kim.
I was born in Busan, Korea. I lived in Busan until 7th grade and went to US.
I graduated high school in the states in 2005.
After graudating high school, I have entered Waseda University since Septermber 2005.
I am still learning Japanese at the moment.
I am looking forward to meet you~
Please visit my blog often. Thank you