About

The Rules of the MZ Generation I was raised being hit, but I must not hit back. I was raised to obey, but I must not give orders. In terms of responsibility, I must be the spokesperson yet also the youngest who knows nothing. I must follow social order while simultaneously breaking it down. Being humble is a loss; I must promote myself more. If you bend, you're a pushover, so keep your back straight. But if you get hit by elders, you must bow down. This person is right, that person is right—I must accept it all. No, they say even that is complaining; they tell me to be 'Al-Jal-Ttak-Kkal-Sen' (do it well on my own). What does that even mean? 'Doing it well on your own' means something different to everyone. If I go left, someone tells me to go right. But if I just stand still, they call me pathetic. I feel like I'll die chasing my dreams, but if I listen to my elders, I live like I'm already dead. I thought inside the box, and they told me to think outside of it. I thought outside the box, and I was pushed out of the box entirely. 'Do it yourself, but listen to everything I say.' 'Do your own PR, but throw away your self-esteem and bow down.' 'Dream big, but you have to think about reality.' 'Live as yourself, but don't stand out and keep your spirit down.' 'Take a challenge, but what if you fail?' 'Money isn't everything, but you'll have a hard time without it.' Well, I understand what the elders are saying and I get it all, But it's also true that it's damn hard to keep up with the beat. 'Put in more effort.' Your pain is your fault and your problem alone. They say that's just how it is, that there are people who endured and survived, And if you fall into depression, it's because you alone are weak. Those who insist the abnormal is normal have become the majority, so the normal has become abnormal. When those crying out for normalcy start acting normal, they tie them together and say, "They're the same generation." If you practice the absurdities you suffered, you become the leader. "I won't be like that." If you think that, you become the lone pushover. Politicians are more successful than scientists; everyone has given up, wondering why the truth even matters. They cut my hair and regulated my words and actions when I was young, then ask why I can't think for myself now that I'm grown. To the person who listened to others, was swayed by others, and became afraid of others, they say, 'Don't blame others.' "Do you think you're the only one having a hard time?" No, we're all having a hard time. "Do you think it wasn't like this in my day?" No, it was much harder for you. Neologisms 'Resting Youth': Refers to the youth (ages 15-34) among the economically inactive population who responded that they "just rested" without specific reasons like childcare, housework, or illness in the Statistics Korea survey. 'Cyber Wrecker': Refers to issue-based YouTubers who rush to any incident, accident, or controversy to create provocative content for views and profit. Named after private tow trucks (wreckers) that appear quickly at accident scenes. 'View-count Supremacy': Focusing solely on inducing clicks through provocative editing and stitching rather than uncovering the truth or protecting privacy. 'Fake News and Falsehoods': Spreading unverified content or applying malicious frames, causing severe suffering to the target. 'Private Sanctions and Blackmail': Causing serious social conflict by exploiting weaknesses to extort money or indiscriminately revealing personal information. State of Current Korean Society A state of complex transitional crisis where extreme low birth rates, an ultra-aging society, and 'anxiety, dissatisfaction, and distrust' overlap. The internet is constantly divided; if you say one thing wrong, it's incredibly easy to bury a person. Controversy over reverse discrimination against men. Making a fuss over every little thing. Claims that 'Mom and Dad' are gender-discriminatory terms (hard to even call it a controversy). Debate over whether the song 'Dad, Cheer Up' is discriminatory. Opinions from some women to increase the duration of military service (while they don't go themselves). The comment sections are a mess over news that marriages between Japanese women and Korean men increased by 40%, while marriages between Korean women and Japanese men dropped by 40%. The following are comments from that section. Comment 1 Japanese Woman: Let's live happily together. Korean Woman: Try to make me happy. Comment 2 Korean Man: I'll do it for you. Japanese Woman: I'll do it for you too. Korean Woman: You do it. No, you do everything.