如果我有選擇的話──分擔家計青少年生活經驗初探

Abstract

相較於西方個人主義文化，台灣係為以集體(家族)主義與孝道倫理做為傳統文化的現代社會。青少年生活於此，面對家庭經濟困境時，往往必須順應社會期待，犧牲個人權益，協助分擔家計，難以保有個人自由。本研究透過深度訪談法，訪談台灣中、南部地區十位十六至二十歲未滿之青少年，了解他們分擔家計的生活經驗。研究發現，青少年是因家庭經濟困難，並受到家族主義及孝道文化影響，加上社會資源不足，被迫選擇分擔家計。分擔家計對青少年而言，是義務，也是無奈。他們因分擔家計致使其犧牲個人權益，導致其教育品質低落，影響身心發展，更可能因此而落入貧窮循環。分擔家計青少年在家庭、學校與職場上，受到上下威權關係的壓迫，多為弱勢的一群。且因其人力資本條件羸弱，在職場上，更是遭受重重剝削。他們提前分擔家計的經驗，使他們較一般青少年更為成熟懂事，而其自我犧牲的利他精神，迥異於成人眼中的草莓族。政府應重視分擔家計青少年就業與就學之權益，提供工讀機會，健全就業環境與提供此族群專屬之就業政策及方案，以維護青少年發展之權益。

Compared with the western society, Taiwan is a modern society which is based on the collectivism (or familism) in its traditional culture. In Taiwan, adolescents facing family economic difficulties have to assist in earning a livelihood. They sacrifice their free time and wellbeing for the benefit of their families. In this study, the researcher had interviews with ten adolescents, aged from sixteen to twenty years, who dedicated themselves to earn a livelihood. It attempted to portray their life experiences and how such experiences had impact on them. Family poverty, the collectivism (or familism), the filial piety, and the shortage of social resources forced these adolescents to share family economic responsibilities. Assisting in earning a livelihood is a duty of these adolescents, rather than a choice. To assisting their families, they cannot receive good education; they tend to suffer from negative physiological and psychological outcomes. And their likelihood of continuing poverty in adulthood is very high. These adolescents are oppressed by the authorities in the family, schools; and the labor market. Because of their poor human capital, they are heavily exploited by the secondary labor market. Nevertheless; sharing the responsibilities of family expenses matures them and makes them tough to face life challenges. The government should help these adolescents by providing them job choices, changing the exploitation of the labor market, and settling programs for these adolescents in order to protect them for better development.