User:くれゆう/Parent lottery

Parent gacha (Japanese: 親ガチャ; oya gacha) is a Japanese internet slang, referencing toy vending machines or video games where one pays money to receive a random prize or item.

Alternately translated as "parent lottery", the term describes the inability to choose one`s parents and the fact that a child has no control over their innate abilities and physical features or the kind of home environment they grow up in.

These factors are said to have a great influence on an individual`s course of life. In some cases, the term can even carry the nuance of a person`s circumstances and prospects in life being entirely predetermined by their parents, which has caused some criticism towards the word`s usage and validity.

It mostly refers to children that have "lost the lottery", as opposed to the more fortunate ones.

Some may have had more luck in respect to their upbringing, others with their genetics, and some people may only have advantages or disadvantages in both categories.

The term is often used by people that are frustrated with their environment and their abilities or those who face frequent challenges, attributing these problems to "having lost the parent lottery".

The word was used more frequently starting in December of 2017, but gained popularity with younger people in September of 2021. In the same year, it was selected as one of the top ten words for the U-Can New Words and Buzzwords Awards and won the Daijisen New Word Award.

Examples of "losing the lottery"
Some children may have abusive or meddling parents, struggle with their parents` debt or domestic violence, or be affected by a parent`s mental illness. Some caregivers also engage in criminal acts or display behavior that goes against rules and social norms.

While many tend to focus on the economical aspects, family and life circumstances as well as the ability to maintain good mental and physical health are usually more significant.

That is because even if children happen to grow up in a wealthy family, they can nevertheless be subjected to physical, verbal, psychological and sexual abuse as well as neglect.

Although they themselves are not targeted, some may also be indirectly affected by a parent`s domestic abuse towards their partner.

Growing into traumatized adults or engaging in criminal behavior as a result
Parents with an active drug or alcohol addiction, personality disorders that negatively affect the child, or those that are abusive and controlling are considered "toxic parents".

Living in a dysfunctional family situation or with such a parent can cause long-lasting trauma, as these children are denied the opportunity to develop in an age-appropriate way.

They may pay excessive attention to other people`s facial expressions or behavior, avoid negative attention at all cost and have extremely low self-esteem along with many difficulties in life.

These circumstances commonly lead to addictions or youth delinquency being used as coping mechanisms.

The continuation of dysfunctional family circumstances due to a lack of parental role models
Many people who grew up in a dysfunctional family lack healthy parental or maternal role models.

Therefore, they may consider the parent-child dynamics they are familiar with normal, which makes them more likely to treat their own children similarly.

This can then lead to a vicious cycle, sometimes continuing the dysfunctional family dynamics over multiple generations.

Analysis
In the sociology of education, there have been theories that a household`s financial assets, social status and connections greatly influence a child`s education and their future life.

However, the term "parent lottery" differs from these theories in that it not only encompasses environmental factors, but also genetic factors such as appearance, intellectual ability and physical capability.

One reason the word became so widely used lies in deep-set economic disparities. It criticizes the notion that some individuals do not exert themselves enough and that they would be able to improve their situation through effort alone.

On the other hand, there are those who think that the people who believe in the "parent lottery" lack self-reliance, cannot deal with highly competitive environments and will only begin to put in more effort once they are provided with ideal circumstances.

Reactions

 * Fumio Kishida (Japan`s 100th and 101st prime minister) has expressed his sadness over the widespread use of the term. He has noted that institutions that properly support families with child education should be put in place to reduce the disparities and emphasized the importance of the further development of Japan`s educational environment.
 * Toru Hashimoto (TV personality, lawyer, former prefectural governor of Osaka) has stated that the usage of the term "parent lottery" by children could cause pain to the parents involved, and suggested that children who live in truly bad conditions may not have the courage to speak up. As a result, he has advocated the development of governmental structures that would support children suffering from abuse and suggested providing parents with the knowledge and awareness necessary when raising a child as a preventative measure.
 * Hirotada Ototake has expressed the wish that regardless of what kind of "lottery" a person has lost, they should be able to live in a society where they can still thrive. One way to work towards this goal would be increasing opportunities for everyone.
 * Nobuteru Ishihara (former chief secretary of Japan`s Liberal Democratic Party) tweeted that Japan should put an end to both the idea and the reality of the "parent lottery".

Child lottery (子ガチャ)
Child gacha, on the other hand, refers to parents not knowing their child`s future personality and abilities beforehand or being confronted with unexpected challenges while raising them.

In this case, success would mean having an exceptionally skilled or outstanding child.

Similar slang terms
Other elements that are out of an individual`s control can also be referred to in this fashion. Examples include expressions such as "country lottery", "nationality lottery", "height lottery" or "face lottery".