Into the Space of Communication, "Kkondae Gyegupjang Ttego" Removed

[2020 New Year Project - Generational Coexistence, Building Society Together]
<3> How to Communicate with Millennials

Hiding Personal Identity
Online Nickname Conversations Among 2030
Casual and Natural Communication

Older Generation Leading with Age and Rank
They Think They "Communicated"
But 2030 Thinks They "Gave a Speech"

Understanding Millennial Culture
Accustomed to Horizontal Communication in 'Anonymity'
Facilitating Genuine Communication

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] "Even when I was assigned to an unwanted place, I accepted it, and even if the job was undesirable, I worked silently. But what annoys me more is that it was my own doing..." (Samsung C&T employee A)

Re: "I think all companies are like that. Try to empty your mind continuously." (Reply from Emart employee B)

"I work at a small or medium-sized company, but the company says they won't enroll in the Youth Tomorrow Savings Program. Is that allowed?" (SME employee C)

Re: "If the company says no, there's no way." (Reply from pharmaceutical company employee D)

Re:Re: "Wow, there are still many companies like that. I'm in shock right now." (C's follow-up reply)

Every day, posts like these pour into the anonymous workplace community 'Blind'. At first glance, the conversations seem like between people who know each other well. There is more informal speech than honorifics. Although one might expect more politeness since they are strangers, people casually throw informal language at someone they don't even know. Naturally, this is possible because the premise of 'anonymity' is established. Anonymous conversations facilitate genuine communication. The reason natural communication is possible even without knowing who the other person is, is due to a sense of 'homogeneity'. As long as there is a common denominator such as a specific industry or broadly 'office workers', the minimum condition for communication is met.

Understanding 'Anonymity' Reveals the 'Principle of Communication'

'Hiding behind anonymity to have honest conversations.' If you dismiss this as obvious and meaningless, you miss the communication principles hidden within the younger generation. The so-called millennials, the 2030 young generation, are 'digital natives' who have used digital media since birth. From their school days, for at least 10 years and up to over 20 years, they have communicated based on anonymity. They have posted comments and written on bulletin boards without revealing themselves. The only representative of them is their internet nickname. Platforms like Blind or KakaoTalk Open Chat Rooms, whose users have recently surged, have only changed the platform but the premise of anonymity remains unchanged.

Of course, anonymous forms of expression existed in the past. However, they were in forms like whistleblowing or denunciations, not used for 'communication'. According to Professor Song Jae-ryong of Kyung Hee University's Department of Sociology, the meaning of anonymity can be more easily understood. "In the past, everyone had to reveal their identity within their community. But with the establishment of online anonymous communication spaces, a space emerged where one could reveal consciousness and orientation without revealing identity. Elements that constitute identity such as age, gender, occupation, and education are ignored or forgotten, and interaction occurs only through 'human identity'."

The part to especially note in Professor Song's explanation is 'identity'. Anonymous communication excludes various backgrounds that make up an individual's identity. This naturally leads to 'de-authoritarianism'. In anonymous spaces, whether the other person is the president or a company chairman, they are simply one nickname without exception. As a generation accustomed to this 'de-authoritarian communication' enters society in earnest, conflicts begin with the older generation's 'open communication based on authority'. To emphasize again, the important aspect is not the form of 'anonymity' but the content of 'de-authoritarianism'.

"Back in my day~
Rejection of Authoritarian Communication Styles"

The story of 'Bulkkotnamja (31)', a new employee who joined a public enterprise last year. The joy of succeeding in getting a job at a so-called 'God's workplace' public enterprise was short-lived as he directly experienced the oft-heard 'Back in my day~'. "'Back in my day, we worked like this, so why are you like that?' They give rebukes disguised as communication, but there are too many older generation people stuck in past mindsets. Even though change should be pursued, they expect us to follow the path they took. Nowadays, young people even show a narrow mindset that they are comfortable." After venting his frustrations, he delivered a pointed remark: "The older generation is way too oblivious. I don't know if they can't see or just don't want to see."

Another story. 'Mapo Cat Daddy (33)', who worked in sales at a card company before resigning, also had difficulties communicating with senior colleagues. "'I'm right and you're wrong' type conversations are uncomfortable. Communication is about confirming each other's thoughts, narrowing differences, or leading the conversation in a more rational direction. Older people talk as if they are teaching or telling you to follow because they are right. That might be a fast decision-making method, but I don't think it's a 'correct and precise' way of handling things."

The older generation argues, "It's to prevent repeating our mistakes," "It's a method for efficient decision-making," and "It's because we want you all to succeed." But the younger generation finds it hard to accept. "They don't want to listen, only want to talk a lot, and mistakenly believe their experience is the truth, but that's not communication." This is a strong rebuttal from 'Gonghangnam (34)', a 5-year office worker.

At a glance, this situation might be understood as a conflict arising from differences in content or preferred speaking styles and habits. One might easily think that young people dislike the older generation because they 'think only they are right and force their opinions'. But that's not the core issue. The 2030 generation also needs advice and education. However, these are advice and education based on 'authority', not 'true communication'. Let's recall 'anonymous communication' again. The older generation has always communicated by revealing themselves. Much information such as whether the other person is older or younger, higher or lower in rank, richer or poorer, underlies communication. Therefore, people with 'higher status or older age' think they are communicating, but those with lower status or younger age can only perceive it as education, instruction, command, or advice rather than communication. Superiors think they have 'communicated fully' by drinking with subordinates, but subordinates feel they 'listened to a speech'. The communication that 2030 thinks of, as seen from the advantages of anonymous communication, must be based on 'de-authoritarianism'.

"It's not that we dislike advice..."

'Sungsilnam (33)', a 7-year employee at a small or medium-sized company, said, "I think communication with the older generation is better than before," adding, "As I spend more time at work, I build empathy with the older generation, and as time passes and I grow older, I think that's why." This means that if mutual understanding and empathy are formed, communication can be sufficiently achieved. However, we cannot leave everything to time. The thought "You'll understand when you get older" causes us to neglect communication that should happen now. Professor Im Myeong-ho of Dankook University's Department of Psychology diagnoses this lack of communication as a "more difficult situation than expected." This is because if the older generation does not understand the younger generation's thoughts and act accordingly, an era where communication becomes increasingly difficult will come.

Ultimately, the solution lies in understanding 'anonymity'. Let's hear more from Professor Im. "Anonymous communication means horizontal dialogue where rank does not matter. In common terms, it's similar to 'let's talk without rank badges'. Only when a culture of horizontal communication is established will communication with millennials be possible." It has become the task of the older generation to bring the communication methods that the younger generation has used in online spaces into offline settings and understand them.

The word 'kkondae', which young people nowadays use to belittle the older generation, first appeared in the 1960s. Originally, it was just slang used by students to refer to teachers. This word, which seemed to have lost its vitality, has spectacularly revived after 60 years. It is used both online and offline, and influential foreign media like the BBC have introduced the term 'kkondae'. This, conversely, is evidence that today's young generation finds it difficult to communicate with the older generation.

Giving up communication with young people is tantamount to giving up the future of the organization. It is natural that those who cannot keep up with the rapidly changing world will be left behind. There is still plenty of time before they simply grow older. The millennial generation silently asks their family, neighbors, and workplace superiors today, "Are you a kkondae?"