Standing Up To Culture
By Daniel Yankelovich
IN a changing world, Japan and the United States face similar challenges even though our histories and cultures are very different. In both nations, the influence of tradition and culture is wearing thin while individual choice grows stronger. This places a heavy burden of responsibility on the individual, more than most people are comfortable with.
In late September, Prime Minister Shinzoฬ Abe wrote an editorial in The Wall Street Journal 1, titled โUnleashing the Power of Womenomics.โ He out- lined a series of policies for which the dual purpose is to boost women in the workforce significantly and thereby also raise fertility rates.
Prime Minister Abe is well aware that combining these two goals runs counter to the long-held belief that female participation in the labor force lowers fertility rates. He cites a number of government policies that would make his twin goals compatible. These include: expanded day-care and nursing-care services, flexible work arrangements and better pay for women.
ๆๅใธใฎๆตๆ
ใฟใใใจใซใปใคใณใฑใญใใใใ
ใใฎๅคๅใฎๆไปฃใซใใฃใฆใๆฅๆฌใจ็ฑณๅฝใฏใๆญดๅฒ็ๆ ๅ็่ๆฏใใๅคงใใซ็ฐใชใใจใฏใใใไผผใใใใชๅ
้ก ใซ็ด้ขใใฆใใใๆฅ็ฑณใฎใใใใใฆใใใไผ็ตฑใจๆ ๅใใใใใใคใคใใไธๆนใฆใใๅไบบใฎ้ธๆใใๅชๅ
ใใใใ ใใซใชใฃใฆใใใใใฎๆตใใซใใใๅคใใฎไบบใใๆใไปฅไธ ใซๅไบบใซ้ใ่ฒฌไปปใใใฎใใใใฃใฆใใใ ใใฎ็งใใฆใฉใผใซใปในใใชใผใใปใทใใฃใผใใซ็ดใซๅฎ้จ ๆไธ้ฆ็ธใฎๅฏ็จฟใใใใฃใใใฟใคใใซใฏใๅฎ้จ็ท็ใใฆใฃ ใกใใใฏในใฎใใใฏใผใ่งฃใๆพใคใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จใๅคงๅน
ใซๅข ใใๅบ็็ไธๆใไฟใไธ้ฃใฎๆฟ็ญใใพใจใใใใฎใใใ
ใใฎ2ใคใฎ็ฎๆจใๆฒ ใใใใใจใใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จๅขใฏๅบ็็ ใไธใใใใจใใ้ทใๆญฃใใใจใใใฆใใ่ซ็ใซๅใใใ ใจใใๅฎ้จ้ฆ็ธใฏๅๅๆฟ็ฅใใฆใใใใใฎใใใฆใๅฝผใฏใ ใใฎ2ใคใฎ็ฎๆจใไธก็ซใใใใใใฎๅคใใฎๆฟ็ญใซ่จๅใ ใฆใใใใใใคใฑใขใไป่ญทใตใผใใในใฎๆกๅคงใๆ่ปใชๅฐฑๅดๅฝขๆ
ใ ๅฅณๆงใฎ่ณ้ๅขใชใจใใฆใใใใ
Standing Up To Culture
By Daniel Yankelovich
IN a changing world, Japan and the United States face similar challenges even though our histories and cultures are very different. In both nations, the influence of tradition and culture is wearing thin while individual choice grows stronger. This places a heavy burden of responsibility on the individual, more than most people are comfortable with.
In late September, Prime Minister Shinzoฬ Abe wrote an editorial in The Wall Street Journal 1, titled โUnleashing the Power of Womenomics.โ He out- lined a series of policies for which the dual purpose is to boost women in the workforce significantly and thereby also raise fertility rates.
Prime Minister Abe is well aware that combining these two goals runs counter to the long-held belief that female participation in the labor force lowers fertility rates. He cites a number of government policies that would make his twin goals compatible. These include: expanded day-care and nursing-care services, flexible work arrangements and better pay for women.
It is not unusual for a political leader to assume that government policies have the power to change cultural norms, even when these have prevailed for millennia. Unfortunately, we know remarkably little about how to change culture. This is not surprising given that our cultures are repositories of wisdom about how people should behave that have accumulated for over 150,000 years since the advent of language. It takes a lot of hubris to pit our paltry eight or so decades of individual experience against this weight of tradition.
My judgment as a social scientist is that government policies by themselves, no matter how well designed and implemented, will not achieve the goal of stimulating fertility rates by increasing female participation in the labor force. Something additional is needed.
That something is a matter of culture. The culture must impart to young Japanese men and women a powerful sense of agency and self-confidence. The culture must encourage men to become far more cooperative as husbands and fathers and to assume tasks long associated with the womanโs role. The culture must help women to develop a high level of self-confidence in taking on themselves what the culture has assumed to be two full-time โ and incompatible jobs: nurturing children and working outside the home.
These vast changes in the national psyche will require at least several generations of risky experiments in marriage, work and family life, many of which will inevitably end badly. This is not a reason to hold back, but it is a reason to proceed with care and to learn what does or doesnโt work through trial and error.
I believe that Abe is right to identify himself with the powerful cross-cultural social trend he calls โWomenomicsโ, but that he is unrealistic in thinking that government policy by itself can make it happen.
Americans struggle with similar conflicting goals. Our culture changes more unpredictably than Japanโs. But we also understand little about how to bring about shifts in cultural norms for activities that we approve. tj
ๆๅใธใฎๆตๆ
ใฟใใใจใซใปใคใณใฑใญใใใใ
ใใฎๅคๅใฎๆไปฃใซใใฃใฆใๆฅๆฌใจ็ฑณๅฝใฏใๆญดๅฒ็ๆ ๅ็่ๆฏใใๅคงใใซ็ฐใชใใจใฏใใใไผผใใใใชๅ
้ก ใซ็ด้ขใใฆใใใๆฅ็ฑณใฎใใใใใฆใใใไผ็ตฑใจๆ ๅใใใใใใคใคใใไธๆนใฆใใๅไบบใฎ้ธๆใใๅชๅ
ใใใใ ใใซใชใฃใฆใใใใใฎๆตใใซใใใๅคใใฎไบบใใๆใไปฅไธ ใซๅไบบใซ้ใ่ฒฌไปปใใใฎใใใใฃใฆใใใ ใใฎ็งใใฆใฉใผใซใปในใใชใผใใปใทใใฃใผใใซ็ดใซๅฎ้จ ๆไธ้ฆ็ธใฎๅฏ็จฟใใใใฃใใใฟใคใใซใฏใๅฎ้จ็ท็ใใฆใฃ ใกใใใฏในใฎใใใฏใผใ่งฃใๆพใคใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จใๅคงๅน
ใซๅข ใใๅบ็็ไธๆใไฟใไธ้ฃใฎๆฟ็ญใใพใจใใใใฎใใใ
ใใฎ2ใคใฎ็ฎๆจใๆฒ ใใใใใจใใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จๅขใฏๅบ็็ ใไธใใใใจใใ้ทใๆญฃใใใจใใใฆใใ่ซ็ใซๅใใใ ใจใใๅฎ้จ้ฆ็ธใฏๅๅๆฟ็ฅใใฆใใใใใฎใใใฆใๅฝผใฏใ ใใฎ2ใคใฎ็ฎๆจใไธก็ซใใใใใใฎๅคใใฎๆฟ็ญใซ่จๅใ ใฆใใใใใใคใฑใขใไป่ญทใตใผใใในใฎๆกๅคงใๆ่ปใชๅฐฑๅดๅฝขๆ
ใ ๅฅณๆงใฎ่ณ้ๅขใชใจใใฆใใใใ
ใใจใไฝๅๅนดใ็ถใๆๅ็่ฆ็ฏใงใใฃใฆใใๆฟๅบใฎๆฟ ็ญใใใใๅคใใๅใๆใคใจๆฟๆจฉใใใใไธปๅผตใใใฎใฏ ็ใใใใจใงใฏใชใใๆฎๅฟตใชใใจใซใๆใ
ใฏๆๅใฎๅคใ
ๆนใ็ฅใใชใใ่จ่ชใฎ็บๆไปฅๆฅ15 ไธๅนดไปฅไธใซใใใใฃ ใฆไบบใณใจใ่็ฉใใฆใใ็ฅ่ญใๆๅใงใใใใจใ่ใใ
ใฐใใใใฏ้ฉใใซใฏใใใใชใใใใฎไผ็ตฑใฎ้ใฟใซๅฏพใใฆใ ใใใ ใ80 ๅนดใใใใใฎๅใใซ่ถณใใชใๅไบบใฎ็ต้จใๆ
ใกๅบใใฎใฏใใจใใงใใชใใใๆ
ขใงใใใชใใ
็งใฏ็คพไผ็งๅญฆ่
ใจใใฆใๆฟๅบใฎๆฟ็ญใใใใซ็ถฟๅฏใซ็ทดใ ใๅฎ่กใใใใจใใฆใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จใๅขๅ ใใใใจๅๆ
ใซๅบ็็ใ้ซใใใจใใ็ฎๆจใฏ้ๆใใใชใใจๅคๆญใใ ใใๅพใชใใใใใซใฏๅฅใฎ่ฆๅ ใๅฟ
่ฆใ ใ
ใๆๅใใฎใใฎใ้ขใใใใใชใใกใๆฅๆฌใฎ่ฅ่
ใซ่ก็บ ไธปไฝๆงใจ่ชไฟกใๅผทใๆ่ญใใใๆๅใๅคซ๏ผ็ถใจใใฆๅๅ
ใๆใใพใใซใ้ทใใๅฅณๆงใฎๅฝนๅฒใจใใใฆใใไปไบใๆ
ใใใจใ็ทๆงใซไฟใๆๅใไธก็ซใงใใชใใจใใใฆใใ่ฒ
ๅ
ใจๅคใงใฎไปไบใ่ชใๅผใๅใใ่ชไฟกใๆใคใใๅฅณๆงใ ๆฏๆดใใๆๅใ
ๅฝๅฎถใฎ็ฒพ็ฅใใใฎใใใซๅคงใใๅคๅใใใใใซใฏใๅฐ ใชใใจใๆฐไธไปฃใซใใใฃใฆใ็ตๅฉใไปไบใๅฎถๆ็ๆดปใ้ฟ
ใใใใใชใๅคฑๆใซ็ตใใใใใใใชใๅฑ้บใใฏใใๅฎ ้จใ็ตใๅฟ
่ฆใใใใ ใใใใ ใใใจใใฃใฆใใใๆใ ใจใฉใพใใฎใงใชใใๆ
้ใซๅฎ้จใ้ฒใ่ฉฆ่ก้ฏ่ชคใฎไธญใงไฝ
ใๆๅนใงไฝใๆๅนใงใชใใใ่ฆๆฅตใใใใจ่ใใในใใ ใ
ๅฎ้จ้ฆ็ธใใใใฆใฃใกใใใฏในใใจใใๅผทๅใชๆๅ็คพไผ็ ใชๆตใใไธปๅผตใใใฎใฏๆญฃใใใจๆใใใๆฟ็ญใใฎใใฎใ
ใใใๅฎ็พใใใจ่ใใใฎใฏ็พๅฎ็ใงใฏใชใใ ใใใ
ใใขใกใชใซไบบใๅๆงใฎไธก็ซใๅฐ้ฃใช็ฎๆจใซๆใใงใใใ
ๆใ
ใฎๆๅใฎๅคๅใฏใๆฅๆฌใฎๆๅใใไบๆธฌใ้ฃใใใใ ใใๆใ
ใใๆใ
ใ่ชใใๆดปๅใไฟใๆนๅใธๆๅ็่ฆ็ฏ
ใๅคใใๆนๆณใ็ฅใใชใใtj
The complete article is available in Issue #273. Click here to order from Amazon
Standing Up To Culture
Standing Up To Culture
By Daniel Yankelovich
IN a changing world, Japan and the United States face similar challenges even though our histories and cultures are very different. In both nations, the influence of tradition and culture is wearing thin while individual choice grows stronger. This places a heavy burden of responsibility on the individual, more than most people are comfortable with.
In late September, Prime Minister Shinzoฬ Abe wrote an editorial in The Wall Street Journal 1, titled โUnleashing the Power of Womenomics.โ He out- lined a series of policies for which the dual purpose is to boost women in the workforce significantly and thereby also raise fertility rates.
Prime Minister Abe is well aware that combining these two goals runs counter to the long-held belief that female participation in the labor force lowers fertility rates. He cites a number of government policies that would make his twin goals compatible. These include: expanded day-care and nursing-care services, flexible work arrangements and better pay for women.
ๆๅใธใฎๆตๆ
ใฟใใใจใซใปใคใณใฑใญใใใใ
ใใฎๅคๅใฎๆไปฃใซใใฃใฆใๆฅๆฌใจ็ฑณๅฝใฏใๆญดๅฒ็ๆ ๅ็่ๆฏใใๅคงใใซ็ฐใชใใจใฏใใใไผผใใใใชๅ
้ก ใซ็ด้ขใใฆใใใๆฅ็ฑณใฎใใใใใฆใใใไผ็ตฑใจๆ ๅใใใใใใคใคใใไธๆนใฆใใๅไบบใฎ้ธๆใใๅชๅ ใใใใ ใใซใชใฃใฆใใใใใฎๆตใใซใใใๅคใใฎไบบใใๆใไปฅไธ ใซๅไบบใซ้ใ่ฒฌไปปใใใฎใใใใฃใฆใใใ ใใฎ็งใใฆใฉใผใซใปในใใชใผใใปใทใใฃใผใใซ็ดใซๅฎ้จ ๆไธ้ฆ็ธใฎๅฏ็จฟใใใใฃใใใฟใคใใซใฏใๅฎ้จ็ท็ใใฆใฃ ใกใใใฏในใฎใใใฏใผใ่งฃใๆพใคใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จใๅคงๅน ใซๅข ใใๅบ็็ไธๆใไฟใไธ้ฃใฎๆฟ็ญใใพใจใใใใฎใใใ
ใใฎ2ใคใฎ็ฎๆจใๆฒ ใใใใใจใใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จๅขใฏๅบ็็ ใไธใใใใจใใ้ทใๆญฃใใใจใใใฆใใ่ซ็ใซๅใใใ ใจใใๅฎ้จ้ฆ็ธใฏๅๅๆฟ็ฅใใฆใใใใใฎใใใฆใๅฝผใฏใ ใใฎ2ใคใฎ็ฎๆจใไธก็ซใใใใใใฎๅคใใฎๆฟ็ญใซ่จๅใ ใฆใใใใใใคใฑใขใไป่ญทใตใผใใในใฎๆกๅคงใๆ่ปใชๅฐฑๅดๅฝขๆ ใ ๅฅณๆงใฎ่ณ้ๅขใชใจใใฆใใใใ
Standing Up To Culture
By Daniel Yankelovich
IN a changing world, Japan and the United States face similar challenges even though our histories and cultures are very different. In both nations, the influence of tradition and culture is wearing thin while individual choice grows stronger. This places a heavy burden of responsibility on the individual, more than most people are comfortable with.
In late September, Prime Minister Shinzoฬ Abe wrote an editorial in The Wall Street Journal 1, titled โUnleashing the Power of Womenomics.โ He out- lined a series of policies for which the dual purpose is to boost women in the workforce significantly and thereby also raise fertility rates.
Prime Minister Abe is well aware that combining these two goals runs counter to the long-held belief that female participation in the labor force lowers fertility rates. He cites a number of government policies that would make his twin goals compatible. These include: expanded day-care and nursing-care services, flexible work arrangements and better pay for women.
It is not unusual for a political leader to assume that government policies have the power to change cultural norms, even when these have prevailed for millennia. Unfortunately, we know remarkably little about how to change culture. This is not surprising given that our cultures are repositories of wisdom about how people should behave that have accumulated for over 150,000 years since the advent of language. It takes a lot of hubris to pit our paltry eight or so decades of individual experience against this weight of tradition.
My judgment as a social scientist is that government policies by themselves, no matter how well designed and implemented, will not achieve the goal of stimulating fertility rates by increasing female participation in the labor force. Something additional is needed.
That something is a matter of culture. The culture must impart to young Japanese men and women a powerful sense of agency and self-confidence. The culture must encourage men to become far more cooperative as husbands and fathers and to assume tasks long associated with the womanโs role. The culture must help women to develop a high level of self-confidence in taking on themselves what the culture has assumed to be two full-time โ and incompatible jobs: nurturing children and working outside the home.
These vast changes in the national psyche will require at least several generations of risky experiments in marriage, work and family life, many of which will inevitably end badly. This is not a reason to hold back, but it is a reason to proceed with care and to learn what does or doesnโt work through trial and error.
I believe that Abe is right to identify himself with the powerful cross-cultural social trend he calls โWomenomicsโ, but that he is unrealistic in thinking that government policy by itself can make it happen.
Americans struggle with similar conflicting goals. Our culture changes more unpredictably than Japanโs. But we also understand little about how to bring about shifts in cultural norms for activities that we approve. tj
ๆๅใธใฎๆตๆ
ใฟใใใจใซใปใคใณใฑใญใใใใ
ใใฎๅคๅใฎๆไปฃใซใใฃใฆใๆฅๆฌใจ็ฑณๅฝใฏใๆญดๅฒ็ๆ ๅ็่ๆฏใใๅคงใใซ็ฐใชใใจใฏใใใไผผใใใใชๅ
้ก ใซ็ด้ขใใฆใใใๆฅ็ฑณใฎใใใใใฆใใใไผ็ตฑใจๆ ๅใใใใใใคใคใใไธๆนใฆใใๅไบบใฎ้ธๆใใๅชๅ ใใใใ ใใซใชใฃใฆใใใใใฎๆตใใซใใใๅคใใฎไบบใใๆใไปฅไธ ใซๅไบบใซ้ใ่ฒฌไปปใใใฎใใใใฃใฆใใใ ใใฎ็งใใฆใฉใผใซใปในใใชใผใใปใทใใฃใผใใซ็ดใซๅฎ้จ ๆไธ้ฆ็ธใฎๅฏ็จฟใใใใฃใใใฟใคใใซใฏใๅฎ้จ็ท็ใใฆใฃ ใกใใใฏในใฎใใใฏใผใ่งฃใๆพใคใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จใๅคงๅน ใซๅข ใใๅบ็็ไธๆใไฟใไธ้ฃใฎๆฟ็ญใใพใจใใใใฎใใใ
ใใฎ2ใคใฎ็ฎๆจใๆฒ ใใใใใจใใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จๅขใฏๅบ็็ ใไธใใใใจใใ้ทใๆญฃใใใจใใใฆใใ่ซ็ใซๅใใใ ใจใใๅฎ้จ้ฆ็ธใฏๅๅๆฟ็ฅใใฆใใใใใฎใใใฆใๅฝผใฏใ ใใฎ2ใคใฎ็ฎๆจใไธก็ซใใใใใใฎๅคใใฎๆฟ็ญใซ่จๅใ ใฆใใใใใใคใฑใขใไป่ญทใตใผใใในใฎๆกๅคงใๆ่ปใชๅฐฑๅดๅฝขๆ ใ ๅฅณๆงใฎ่ณ้ๅขใชใจใใฆใใใใ
ใใจใไฝๅๅนดใ็ถใๆๅ็่ฆ็ฏใงใใฃใฆใใๆฟๅบใฎๆฟ ็ญใใใใๅคใใๅใๆใคใจๆฟๆจฉใใใใไธปๅผตใใใฎใฏ ็ใใใใจใงใฏใชใใๆฎๅฟตใชใใจใซใๆใ ใฏๆๅใฎๅคใ
ๆนใ็ฅใใชใใ่จ่ชใฎ็บๆไปฅๆฅ15 ไธๅนดไปฅไธใซใใใใฃ ใฆไบบใณใจใ่็ฉใใฆใใ็ฅ่ญใๆๅใงใใใใจใ่ใใ
ใฐใใใใฏ้ฉใใซใฏใใใใชใใใใฎไผ็ตฑใฎ้ใฟใซๅฏพใใฆใ ใใใ ใ80 ๅนดใใใใใฎๅใใซ่ถณใใชใๅไบบใฎ็ต้จใๆ
ใกๅบใใฎใฏใใจใใงใใชใใใๆ ขใงใใใชใใ
็งใฏ็คพไผ็งๅญฆ่ ใจใใฆใๆฟๅบใฎๆฟ็ญใใใใซ็ถฟๅฏใซ็ทดใ ใๅฎ่กใใใใจใใฆใใๅฅณๆงใฎ้็จใๅขๅ ใใใใจๅๆ
ใซๅบ็็ใ้ซใใใจใใ็ฎๆจใฏ้ๆใใใชใใจๅคๆญใใ ใใๅพใชใใใใใซใฏๅฅใฎ่ฆๅ ใๅฟ ่ฆใ ใ
ใๆๅใใฎใใฎใ้ขใใใใใชใใกใๆฅๆฌใฎ่ฅ่ ใซ่ก็บ ไธปไฝๆงใจ่ชไฟกใๅผทใๆ่ญใใใๆๅใๅคซ๏ผ็ถใจใใฆๅๅ
ใๆใใพใใซใ้ทใใๅฅณๆงใฎๅฝนๅฒใจใใใฆใใไปไบใๆ ใใใจใ็ทๆงใซไฟใๆๅใไธก็ซใงใใชใใจใใใฆใใ่ฒ
ๅ ใจๅคใงใฎไปไบใ่ชใๅผใๅใใ่ชไฟกใๆใคใใๅฅณๆงใ ๆฏๆดใใๆๅใ
ๅฝๅฎถใฎ็ฒพ็ฅใใใฎใใใซๅคงใใๅคๅใใใใใซใฏใๅฐ ใชใใจใๆฐไธไปฃใซใใใฃใฆใ็ตๅฉใไปไบใๅฎถๆ็ๆดปใ้ฟ
ใใใใใชใๅคฑๆใซ็ตใใใใใใใชใๅฑ้บใใฏใใๅฎ ้จใ็ตใๅฟ ่ฆใใใใ ใใใใ ใใใจใใฃใฆใใใๆใ ใจใฉใพใใฎใงใชใใๆ ้ใซๅฎ้จใ้ฒใ่ฉฆ่ก้ฏ่ชคใฎไธญใงไฝ
ใๆๅนใงไฝใๆๅนใงใชใใใ่ฆๆฅตใใใใจ่ใใในใใ ใ
ๅฎ้จ้ฆ็ธใใใใฆใฃใกใใใฏในใใจใใๅผทๅใชๆๅ็คพไผ็ ใชๆตใใไธปๅผตใใใฎใฏๆญฃใใใจๆใใใๆฟ็ญใใฎใใฎใ
ใใใๅฎ็พใใใจ่ใใใฎใฏ็พๅฎ็ใงใฏใชใใ ใใใ
ใใขใกใชใซไบบใๅๆงใฎไธก็ซใๅฐ้ฃใช็ฎๆจใซๆใใงใใใ
ๆใ ใฎๆๅใฎๅคๅใฏใๆฅๆฌใฎๆๅใใไบๆธฌใ้ฃใใใใ ใใๆใ ใใๆใ ใ่ชใใๆดปๅใไฟใๆนๅใธๆๅ็่ฆ็ฏ
ใๅคใใๆนๆณใ็ฅใใชใใtj
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