Consideration of the 8050 issue: analysis in terms of social transformation and traditional family structure

Abstract

<p>日本因進入快速老化的社會，故浮現年長者須面對的社會問題，同時，因社會及經濟系統的去穩定作用，例如嚴厲失業環境或學校或工作場合與他人的增強競爭，開始有人因沒有對社會生活的適應能力而窩居家中、隔絕於社會，這些人被稱為繭居族。當他們退出社會且窩在家中愈久，年紀漸增也失去獲得自撐所需要的技能，因而造成 80 餘歲的父母要用其退休金去支撐其 50 餘歲的孩子，此稱為 8050 議題。</p> <p>社福組織及研究者主要論辯點在於快速轉變的社會如何形成繭居族以及其行為如何影響 8050 議題，然而，因該論點聚焦於社會快速轉變，而缺乏傳統家庭結構與價值如何影響 8050 議題的可能性，日本的家庭似乎仍保留傳統習俗，而這些習俗仍影響著家庭的思維與行為。</p> <p>基於以上背景，本論文將結合快速社會轉變及傳統家庭結構與價值兩個面向之概念，以釐清 8050 議題之機轉。</p> <p> </p><p>Since Japan has entered into super aging society, there have appeared social problems with which elderly people have faced. Simultaneously, because of destabilization of society and economic system such as tough employment environments or intensifying competition with others in schools or working places, there were people who isolated from society and kept staying home for long time due to maladaptive response to social life. These people are called as hikikomori. As they withdrew from society and stayed their houses longer and longer, they got aged and lost the opportunity to acquire skills necessary for their self-support. As a consequence, parents in their 80s who are receiving pensions need to support their children in their 50s. This issue is called as the 8050 issue. Social service organizations and researchers mainly argue how drastic social transformation produce hikikomori and how their behaviours influence toughness of the 8050 issue. However, because of the focus on the influence by drastic social transformation, their arguments would lack the prospects about how traditional family structure and value influence the 8050 issue. Japanese family seems to remain traditional custom and such custom still affects family’s thoughts and behaviours. Due to these backgrounds, this paper will clarify the mechanism of 8050 issue with combining both of theories of drastic social transformation and concepts about traditional family structure and value.</p> <p> </p>