Old Words Lost

/ Kait King

Kiss it

The Chinese have called this generation of Taiwanese millennials “The Strawberry Generation”. To me, this seems appropriate to most of the world at this time. The Strawberry Generation is so called because they bruise easily, have no resilience and give up in a heart beat.

Because everything is so readily available on-line, whether it be from clothes to sex – you can own it, see it, have it – now, pretty much. I notice that our young people are not used to having patience or having to work for anything because everything is just ‘there’. So have we created a generation of spoiled brats? Or impatient and uncontrollably angry and frustrated youths? Are these people going to be the adults that have to look after our elderly generation? I don’t mean to cluster everybody into the same box, as this is not fair or true, but I do believe that many of our young people have these attitudes and belief structures about life.

Along with instant gratification there is also this “throw away mentality”, so we have the availability and the discarding instantaneously, of just about everything. This is now not just the discarding of unwanted objects like clothes or a cell phone, but the discarding of humanity. We throw away so much – even letters that belong in words. But that’s ok – I get it, it’s simpler, quicker, textier….it just feels like the next generation is forgetting how to spell – or never learned, or how to use grammar – capital letters, even. It just seems a little sad…and throw away, and wasteful…and sometimes fucking annoying to try and decipher when I shouldn’t be bothering anyway, but I do try.

I don’t think I would care so much if I wasn’t so into words, language, creating stories or getting a point across. I don’t want to live without words like devotion, loyalty, dignity, grace, honour. Not only that, but I want those words to be relevant in day to day relationships – at home, at work, at play. To operate in the world with dignity, with grace – these things seem not to have been shown to many young women. I want those words returned to us as women, I want them to be a part of how women are described. Not skanks, sluts, bitches, snobs, beeatch and every other name that is used to describe us these days.

And who wants to be loyal to, devoted to or honour a slag anyway?

37 thoughts on “Old Words Lost”

  1. Feelings of our generation perfectly and clearly expressed.

    But I have a counter argument just to add to the discussion.

    This could be evolution. An adaptation to a world which the older generation has created. This world and its rules were not created by the young folks. But by people like us. Who earned a lot through hard work and generous help from the economic system, but who wanted more and created more rigid structures. Also we haven’t paid as much attention to our kids, than the attention our parents lavished on us. Good schools, clothes, games, mobiles, iPads and pizzas don’t count as attention.

    Also the internet, social media and the toxic work culture were not created by the younger folks.

    Come to think of it, we are worse than our parents, who were much generous than us. And our kids are turning out to be worse then us.

    Don’t know if it is right or wrong. Because the reference points have changed drastically. Our kids don’t have that accommodating and forgiving work atmosphere that we had.

    Dialogue is the answer everyone says. But to have a dialogue we need to understand each other’s language. That’s a big big problem.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I apologize and certainly never meant to offend anyone. A mistake in my research/misinformation that has only made it clearer to always dig deeper and not get slack! Thank you for correcting that and again, it was not meant to be offensive, I apologize.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • Totally culturally inappropriate in a time where anti asian sentiment is so rife and so dangerous. Not all Asian cultures are the same. Perhaps you could not write about cultures that you know nothing about and use them to slut shame women. Kind regards, a proud slut

        Like

      • I’m sorry that you read it like that. It was about everyone in all languages cherishing some of the old words they have lost. Words that don’t have to shame or be so degrading. The words used about women. We shouldn’t refer to ourselves as sluts or bitches etc either. This was about every culture and a saying I thought was Japanese happens to be Chinese, which I apologised for, was very appropriate about a large part of the generation today. It was not personally directed at you or at Asian people of any kind, it was about a generation. By the way, it was written years ago and has been rescheduled on WordPress automatically for years.

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      • TAIWANESE who speak CHINESE. These are very different cultures, very different ideas, and you are perpetuating the idea of Asian homogeny. Apologizing for MY reaction to YOUR offensive RACIST anti Asian sentiment is also not welcome. Perhaps you might like to read about the Wild Strawberry movement. I suggest writing about things you have a clue about in future.

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      • I’ve already apologized and have changed the mistake. I am shocked at your rage. It’s not anti Asian at all. Did you actually read the whole piece?? It seems not by you overreaction.

        Liked by 1 person

      • White fragility is quite something to behold and not becoming at all. You are shocked that someone is offended when you clumsily misrepresent Asian culture and twist it? When to you Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese every Asian is painted as the same thing.

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      • You apologized for my feelings and that is not the same thing. It is no apology at all. It is an insult that gets you off the hook. You are writing about things that you have no clue about and don;t even seem to be aware of your own offensiveness

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      • Wow! Now that’s calling the kettle black!! I apologized in the very first comment I wrote to you on this. You replied rudely to my apology but hey, that seems to solve problems now, doesn’t it? And I’m rude?!!

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  4. The perfect expression… “The Strawberry Generation.” I won’t forget that one… It is very sad that there is so much truth in every word you’ve written here. I remember a different way of life and I miss every moment of it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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