A few month ago, I discovered the Japanese magazine POSSE. They focus on social issues and their latest publication was on Generation Left. And rather than read the dossier without knowing the original material, I just put it aside and waited to find some time and be in the right brain configuration to read it.

The key articulation of the book lies in the two words in its title. Generation and Left. The author starts from the constation that age, rather than social class or income has become the main explanatory variable in political standing in the population, with the youger generations being much more left leaning than the older ones. If you are suspicious of the usual generation definition (or think it is complete bullshit, as I do), stay calm, the authors starts by debunking and destroying the usual definitions and their uses.

Overall, it is better to see the book as being made into 3 parts: defintions, current situation, future. And, to be frank, I was really wondering where the book was going during its first half (definitions, which covers chapters 1 and 2). But, as soon as it gets down to earth and back to concrete examples, I found the book much more interesting.

Yet, I still have an open question. As much as the author takes for granted that the younger generation is more left leaning and that has forced the politic professional to adjust their way, I feel this only partially matches really. Whether in Japan or in France, the alt/far-right is making huge strides with strong support of part of the younger generation. I don’t know if it is actually representative or just the fact that they are extremely lound and obnoxious but I sometime had a hard time matching this with what was describe in the book.

That said, I am now fully prepared to read POSSE’s dossier on the topic.

Final word

The book’s relatively short, written big (for real), so it can be a good inbetween book. Not sure I’ll recommend it as is. Will maybe need to come back to it later.