The Reality of Being 18 [4]Today's "young people" and "adults" are similar!?
With the voting age lowered to 18, social interest in young people, particularly those aged 18, has intensified. Yet, there seems to be a barrier of misunderstanding between "18-year-olds (young people)" and "adults and society."
DENTSU SOKEN INC.'s 'Project18' conducted dialogues with high school students participating in 'My Project*,'provided by the certified NPO Katariba, which conducts career education activities. We sought to understand the real lives of these high school students and uncover clues for connecting them with adults and society.
*My Project is a project-based learning (PBL) program where high school students learn by launching and executing their own projects to solve issues in their immediate surroundings.
Project18 × High School Student: Piyo's Case
The young person interviewed this time is Piyo (female, pseudonym).
She participated in My Project as part of her high school curriculum. Her chosen theme was "sumo." Using space at the Junior and Senior High School Plaza, she created a bookshelf dedicated to sumo and continues activities to promote sumo among her peers.
Here, we introduce three key insights discovered from our interview with Piyo-san that connect "high school students" with "adults and society."
Finding ①
When the entry point is set through "something familiar or enjoyable," even topics or themes far removed from oneself can spark interest!
When asked, "Why choose sumo, a topic high schoolers might not easily find interesting, as your outreach theme?", Piyo-san answered:
"It started when I happened to see a sumo wrestler singing on a TV music show and thought, 'Wow, he's really good!' Later, I coincidentally watched sumo on TV and saw that same person compete and win. I've always liked watching sports, but sumo is easy for anyone to understand—you can tell who wins and loses right away. When I told my mom, 'This is interesting,' she said, 'Why don't we go see a match at the Kokugikan next time?'
The term 'national sport' can feel intimidating, but just like I got hooked because of that singing wrestler, I hope (my peers) can enjoy it more like watching any other sport. With fewer people wanting to become wrestlers and fewer spectators, I thought, 'I'm the only one who can stop this decline in sumo interest!' 'I'll do it!'"
What's noteworthy about Piyo's statement is that her entry point into sumo was "song." Even for a theme she originally had no interest in, it was precisely because the song was a trigger close to the daily life and interests of high school students that it became her motivation to dive into the world of sumo.
Also noteworthy is how, upon discovering sumo's appeal and fun, she gained a sense of mission to solve the problem—"Only I can stop people from turning away from sumo!"—and took action.
While Piyo-san's mother encouraged her interest in sumo, this experience showed that if adults can provide such a spark to ignite curiosity, high school students have the potential to engage enthusiastically with Japan's future and social issues.
Findings②
Genuine "likes" from adults encourage the next action
So why was Piyo able to turn her desire to "spread sumo" into action?
"In My Project, I'd talk with my mentor about what I could do, show them ideas I came up with, and we'd pick out the ones that seemed interesting together. At first, we came up with several ideas, but after about a month of no progress, I was wondering what to do. That's when my mentor said, 'If it's a bookshelf idea, we can make it right away! Let's build it!'
Mentors are more like people who help you. Some adults or teachers encourage us to take action by saying, 'Nothing will change unless you do it yourself,' but since you ultimately have to act on your own, it often ends with just thinking, 'Oh, right.'"
For high school students whose lives are saturated with social media, the first thing they need is that positive feeling of getting a "like." But getting vague approval from many people is just part of their daily routine.
That's precisely why genuine encouragement—a sincere "like" that gives them a push—and having a space to discuss ideas together are what lead to action and challenges. For high schoolers to take action, appropriate support from adults is still indispensable.
Findings③
I want to be pleasantly deceived, not patronized
Talking with Piyo-san, I noticed she clearly distinguishes between "adults she likes" and "adults she doesn't like." What exactly is the difference?
"The college students at my part-time job ask me things like, 'What are you doing about college?'—they bring up topics that are most relevant to me right now. The topics are closer to my reality, and they talk to me on the same level, so I feel a connection. My mentor is an adult, but they really tailor the conversation to me. It's like they (skillfully) trick me, or rather, forcefully pull me along until I have no choice but to move. I guess that ultimately leads to good results. On the flip side, I get disappointed by adults who just say 'Do this' or don't try to listen to what we have to say."
When communicating with young people, we often hear that "a condescending attitude is a no-go." Piyo-san also says, "I feel a connection with adults who match my topics and perspective," but that's not the point we want to focus on.
What's needed in dialogue with high schoolers is "respect from adults" (the reassurance of being acknowledged) and "pleasant deception." They dislike being ordered around with a condescending "Do this," yet they want adults to guide them. It's precisely because of this wavering feeling that they wait to be pleasantly deceived.
Summary
I've shared three key findings, but these likely apply to "adults" as well. No matter their age, adults also seek those who will give them a gentle push or a pleasant deception. In other words, "18-year-olds (young people)" are by no means a special category.
When adults engage with "18-year-olds (young people)," they often get caught up in eye contact and techniques, but techniques aren't what's needed. What's more important is to see "18-year-olds (young people)" as a mirror-like presence that reveals the true feelings adults can't express precisely because they are adults, and reminds us of the important things adults often forget among themselves. Doing so will foster a better relationship between "18-year-olds (young people)" and "adults and society."
Project18 will continue to delve into the reality of 18-year-olds (young people).
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Author
Yoko Furudaira
Dentsu Inc.
After working in the Marketing Planning and Business Development departments, I now broadly support client companies' business transformation (BX). I provide end-to-end production support, from conceptualizing and strategizing transformation to executing strategic plans.
