Adulthood comes with responsibilities, but there are more things you can do.
KEN:Yes, the new adults are turning 18 years old. They can sign a contract for a house or cell phone on their own, and they can get a passport valid for 10 years. Do you feel any difference?
Ishii:I have a little bit of a feeling that I would like to stay 20 if possible. I don't want to be a child forever, but....
Shirakawa:The fact that I can sign a contract for a house without my parents' permission is convenient for me as a group that has moved to Tokyo. However, the more things we can do, the more responsibility we have to bear. When I think about the weight of that, I wonder if I can't just say it's a good thing.
Zukiko:I've been feeling it lately,The number of young people who are independent has increased tremendously (*1).I think that's what TikTok is all about. That's what TikTok is all about, but everyone is trying to become someone else. We live in an information society, so I thought it would be a good idea to lower the bar. I thought it would be a good opportunity for people to become independent.
*1: In a survey of new adults jointly conducted by Payday and the Z Research Institute, which specializes in the results of Generation Z surveys, the top five aspirations of new adults were to be able to lead an independent life (51.1%), to act independently for the future (46.4%), to be responsible for their actions (42.2%), want to increase their knowledge (41.0%), and want to be filial to their parents (37.5%) were the top five reasons.
KEN:（What about you, Shirakawa-kun?
Shirakawa:I am glad that I am now an adult and can go to all-night events. I no longer have all those things that I wanted to go to but couldn't because of my age. It is a responsibility, but I am glad that I have more things to do now that I am an adult.
KEN:Yes, there is that, isn't there? It's like a new world is opening up to us. On the other hand, what about the two of you who are coming of age?
Ishii:I am receiving money from my employer, but I think I will soon become an adult by working part-time at an apparel company and paying my own rent without sending money. I want to repay the debt for all the stupid things I do.
Zukiko:I want to learn all the time (*2).I have to do things that I don't want to do. Growing up, there were things that were troublesome, things that I didn't like, things that I had to do. I felt like I was in a dizzying daze, but I felt like it would be great to learn and improve myself even more. My main goal is to continue studying even as an adult.
KEN:You enjoy the input itself?
Zukiko:I can't stop. I have a radio show, and every week I try to introduce as much new music as I can. I enjoy learning about the history of hip-hop, and even though hip-hop alone is very deep, when I think about how much more there is to learn in the wider world, I feel like I can't go on like this any longer. I feel like I can't go on like this anymore.
KEN:That's a good thing. At a certain age, if you don't at least keep reminding yourself that "new things are good," you will begin to exclude them without even realizing it. New things come to us in an imperfect state, so the imperfections become more noticeable than the rough edges. When you are about to eliminate them, you say, "No, it's not like that. I try to tell myself, "It's not that. New things are interesting anyway.
Shirakawa:I'll have to update it properly.
KEN:The more confident you are in your position and knowledge, the more your career becomes an advantage. But when something new comes along, you have to compete on a level playing field with the "zuki-kids. So, young people have a chance, but if you keep your nose out of it, it's as if you can stay in your own field of expertise forever. That's fine for a moment, but after 10 years, you are left behind. So it is very important to study, and if you don't keep telling yourself that, you will have a hard time after the age of 30. In hip-hop as well, there is a huge difference between those who can survive and those who can't, because there are those who can survive when a trap comes and those who can reject it and those who find it interesting.
*2: Studying for qualifications and skill development was the second most popular thing to do or try this year in a survey of new adults by Payday and Z Research Institute, with 18.31 TP10T saying so. 19.71 TP10T ranked savings as No. 1.
Ishii:With pride, I absorb and sublimate even new things without strange pride getting in the way. That is the kind of adult I want to become.
KEN:That's true. I wish I could be like that. I have to set it up so that I don't have to be like that because I'll try to protect myself when I find out.
