第２８９回 Workshop報告（１０月２５日）

≪FIRST HALF≫

Do We Stop Listening as We Age?

It is often said that people tend to become more stubborn as they age. Have you ever thought the same way?

My father doesn’t listen to our family, and he interprets things in whatever way is convenient for him. For example, he only eats what he wants, believing that his health is fine as long as he eats what he likes, regardless of our advice that he should pay more attention to his nutrition.

Another problem is that he, like some senior citizens, often interrupts others before they finish speaking and misunderstands what is being said.

According to some articles, one of the reasons why it is difficult for senior citizens to listen to others is the decline in their cognitive abilities (Reference 1).

However, looking back at myself, I realize that I might cause the same kind of trouble to people around me in the future, or perhaps even now.

This seems to be not only a problem among the elderly but also a common issue in workplaces, especially in communication between bosses and their subordinates. Have you ever experienced something similar? For example, when you are struggling with something at work and you try to ask your boss for advice, do they always listen to you fully until you finish speaking? (Reference 2)

Not only as office workers but also as individuals, we all want to remain open and receptive to other people. However, we might have already been losing credibility with others by unconsciously interrupting them.

As we accumulate experience, we become more knowledgeable and quicker to interpret things, but we sometimes jump to conclusions about what is being said, which can lead to misunderstandings or the speaker’s dissatisfaction (Reference 3).

<Questions>

At the end of the workshop, each group will share the summary of Q4.

Q1. Is there anyone around you who doesn’t really listen to others? What are they like? If not, just imagine such a person and talk about them.

Q2. Have your parents’(or guardians’) personalities changed over time? How?

Q3. How do you communicate with people who don’t(or can’t) listen to others? Do you have any tips for getting along with them?

Q4. Are you afraid of aging — such as becoming stubborn, forgetful, or losing cognitive or physical abilities?

If so, what are you doing to prevent it? If not, why not?

Q5. (Optional) What do you imagine when you hear the term “out-of-touch senior” or the Japanese word “老害”? Do you think it’s disrespectful to use such expressions?

<Reference>

1. https://lavender-mental.com/blog/dementia-early

2. https://bizgate.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO3098030025052018000000

3. https://agora-web.jp/archives/2050590.html

≪LATTER HALF≫

The Battle Against Resellers

Recently, resellers have become a controversial issue in Japan.

McDonald’s released a Happy Set combo featuring Chiikawa toys, which quickly attracted resellers. Many bought the sets just to take the toys, leaving the food untouched in the store. Staff were left to clean up the mess, and a video of this behavior went viral. The backlash led McDonald’s to suspend the campaign.

I’ve personally been affected by resellers when trying to buy instant camera film. I enjoy taking photos with an instant camera called “Cheki,” but the film is often sold out because resellers buy it in bulk.

Some companies are starting to take action. For example, Nintendo now sells the Nintendo Switch 2 only to loyal customers—those whose playtime on the original Switch exceed certain amount.

Today, I’d like you to share your thoughts on how we can deal with this growing problem.

<Questions>

1. How have resellers affected your life? Please share your experience.

2. In what ways do resellers affect businesses?

3. What are some examples of countermeasures companies are using to fight reselling?

4. If you were a business owner, how would you handle resellers while keeping customers satisfied?

At the end of discussion, please share summary of what your group talked about for question Q4.

Reference:

マクドナルドの子供向けセット「ちいかわ」人気で早期終了　食品放棄の映像も、転売目的か

https://www.sankei.com/article/20250519-BMWGVQGFYNCINHHHDDGGHCNOPE/

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