The generation gap is one which cannot be bridged
The so-called “generation gap” always exists as an inevitable social phenomenon of all time. The nature of this is differences and misunderstandings between the young and their elders causing a big gap that cannot be bridged as many considered. However, there are still multiple people believing in the “possibility” and attempting to bridge generations by narrowing the gap gradually.
To start with, we all cannot deny the truism that each generation has its own thinking and lifestyle and wants to uphold the principles they believe in. This, unfortunately, leads to the contradiction between the young and the elderly. It goes without saying that our parents or even grandparents normally tend to stick with the perfectionism and lead us go the way they did. Thus, they might derive discomfort and even angry from their children’s new tattoos, face makeup, sexy clothing, etc. Meanwhile, the young views everything more open and simpler, so they are more flexible than their elders in adapting and approaching to new changes or frontiers. In short, these two distinct types of perception are increasingly extending the existed gap between the old and young people.
What is more, communication-related issue, especially language, is another factor that prevents generations from bridging the gap. Along with our culture, language is developing and changing rapidly. Young people today uses slang and acronyms as a contemporary trend that the elderly does not know. Besides, with the development of technology, the young nowadays spends most of their time on the internet and mobile phone to communicate with each other. Consequently, they are going to talk less to their parents, who are mostly unfamiliar with these modern means of communication. Accidentally, the relationship becomes worse synonymous with the greater gap.
On the other hand, we can find a few cases in which the young and old maintain good relationship with each other. It is not necessary to live as our parents did but we need their guidance and support as well as should be grateful for how they lived to set our today lives by their devotion. Instead of protesting, we should learn how to reinforce their belief in us. In the side of parents, they should at least once put themselves in the position of their children to feel and consider every problem in the most objective way. By this way, it is believed that people in every age possibly become closer to each other and the huge gap can be narrower. If you walk around Hoan Kiem Lake in the early morning, you can see a striking example for this, there is the image of a group of elderly people, instead of doing exercise or Tai Chi, practicing hip-hop dance with some juvenile teachers. This might be a vivid illustration for the possibility to bridge the generation gap.
All in all, we have to admit that people cannot break away from the generation gap at all due to the solid barrier of differences and misunderstandings. Still, it does not mean hopeless, I myself always trust that we can entirely improve the situation by making some effort from both sides, such as talking, understanding, feeling what the other people want to convey to us.
