An enterprising, somewhat impressionistic overview of contemporary
adolescence in the US and Japan. White (Sociology/Boston
University; The Japanese Educational Challenge, 1986, etc.)
contrasts teenage years in the two cultures using a variety of
measures based on firsthand observation and more formal sources of
data. American and Japanese teenagers may seem superficially
similar, she suggests, but their outlooks and daily behavior differ
along with the ways they are perceived by the larger populations.
In Japan, adolescence is not seen as problematic. Teenagers have
less leisure time (the school year is 240 days), focus on the
"examination imperative," and tend to be viewed as dependent but
bound for maturity and traditional Japanese life. In the US, "teen"
is a four-letter word, characterized by assorted forms of rebellion
and burdened by the mixed messages of "just say no" and "just do
it." Both groups find solace - and self-definition - in
friendships; respond readily to questions about ideals and future
plans; and are heavily influenced by marketing and the media. In
Japan, market choices tend to reinforce tendencies to conform; in
our larger, more diverse society, consumption tends to reinforce
differences. Parents of American teenagers may be surprised to
learn that Japanese adolescents spend even more time shopping than
American teenagers do, primarily because smaller houses as well as
custom discourage socializing at home. White repeats important
concepts for her American readers (the discrepancy between tatemae
- official form - and honne - true reality); includes less familiar
but essential aspects of Japanese culture (the prevalence of manga
- comic books - and magazines as sources of information); and
emphasizes significant differences between the two student
populations, including the tendency of Japanese teenagers to keep
their sexual activities private ("the sexual relationship is no
longer a taboo; what is taboo is the public recognition of the
sexual relationship"). An instructive contrast of cultures, written
in an almost casual style. (Kirkus Reviews)
What does it mean to be an adolescent in today's world? Are teens
from different cultures becoming increasingly similar as they
become subject to the same media and pop influences? And how do
these influences shape adolescents' perceptions of their lives and
their futures? What roles do parents and teachers play in this
process? In The Material Child, Merry White explores the world of
the teenager in two significantly different modern societies, Japan
and America. Drawing on the voices of adolescents themselves, she
offers an in-depth look at the sexuality, school work, family
relationships, leisure activities, friendships, and buying behavior
of the young in both worlds. Through her analysis, White shows that
although adolescents in the United States and Japan may share the
same taste in pizza, pop music, and leather jackets, they remain
very different from each other. The Japanese teen, for example, is
sexually sophisticated, but dependent and childish by American
standards. In contrast, our adolescents are more independent and
worldly on some fronts, but surprisingly ignorant sexually. The
author also explores Japanese fears for their teens versus the U.S.
fear of their teens, showing how these contrasting anxieties
developed and how they affect the behavior of the adolescents
themselves. And White takes a new look at our youths' work ethics
and our educational systems, arguing that we are neither a nation
in decline as some have maintained nor is Japan necessarily a model
to be emulated in these areas. Through the author's analysis, we
see that it is a far more complicated issue than recent controversy
suggests. In The Material Child, Merry White paints a fascinating
and richportrait of youth today, and, in the process, gives us much
needed insights into our own culture in relation to that of our
most important partner and competitor.
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