SINGAPORE: When Diana, 31, became pregnant six years ago, her parents had insisted that she marry her then-boyfriend, who had proposed, and keep the baby.Speaking to TODAY, the account strategist, who declined to give her full name, said she did not want to get married or have children. And since then, her parents have yet to let the matter rest and have over the years, called her “selfish” for doing so.
These conflicts — stemming from what seem to be generational differences — feel insurmountable for the pair whom TODAY spoke to, and have resulted in rifts within their families. And they are not alone in facing what appears to be a generational divide. These sweeping remarks not only divide generations but create differences where there are often none, said experts interviewed, because they lump millions of unique individuals together and put a label on them.How Singapore sees its millennials
A recent poll by the National Youth Council found that about one in two respondents feel that intergenerational differences are an issue here, with higher agreement seen among youths. Yet despite their perceptions of one another, the survey found that a majority in both groups see value in the other, particularly in bringing fresh perspectives — the older generation with their life experiences, and the younger generation with their creativity.
In 2019, a door-to-door survey conducted by CNA, which involved over 1,200 respondents from different age groups, saw a divide between the groups on how they view LGBTQ issues. One of them is Mrs Michelle Ng, 64, who initially had trouble accepting that her daughter is in a same-sex relationship. Mr Fairul Edham Hirdayat, 35, with his mother, Madam Norhayati Alwi, 62. His mother’s open-mindedness made him feel supported when the freelance performer came out as openly gay.
“As much as I want to accept their relationships, it’s very difficult because my beliefs,” she said, adding that she has not spoken openly about having such conflicted feelings to her loved ones. In turn, her daughter told TODAY that she is more open about addressing sensitive questions from Mrs Ng about her sexual orientation and taking the time to explain why they should not be asked.ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
This was experienced by Ms Pamela Low, 26, whose mother initially disapproved of her making eco-enzymes at home because it took up space and she could not understand the benefits of such an endeavour.
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