EP29 | 被叫蟑螂後，他們竟然笑了？印度 Gen Z 的抗議運動 | How India's Gen Z Turned an Insult into a Movement

當有人叫你「蟑螂」，你會怎麼做？在印度，一群年輕人沒有生氣，反而把這個羞辱變成了一場全國性的抗議運動。本集帶你了解印度 Gen Z 為什麼自稱「蟑螂」、國家醫學系考試洩題事件如何引爆年輕人的憤怒，以及他們如何利用 IG、迷因和幽默，挑戰傳統媒體與政治體制。這不只是關於抗議，更是一個關於民主、創意、韌性，以及年輕世代如何用新的方式讓世界聽見自己聲音的故事。Why are thousands of young Indians proudly calling themselves "cockroaches"? In this episode, we explore the story behind India's viral Cockroach Janta Party, the national medical school exam scandal, and how Gen Z uses memes, humor, and social media to express frustration. Discover how an insult became a powerful symbol of resilience, creativity, and democratic participation. Learn English with Miss Y: https://pse.is/95qltt Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cmilgpemw00i201yvfrduavyf/commentsTranscript:Hey guys, I’m your English teacher, Miss Y! Welcome to the podcast made for intermediate English learners who want to listen to English, and learn about different topics in a fun and easy way. Have you ever been called a name that really hurt? Maybe someone laughed at your ideas. Maybe they told you that your opinion didn't matter. It never feels good. Now imagine someone calls you a cockroach (蟑螂). Most people would probably get angry. But what if you smiled and said, "Yes, I'm a cockroach." It sounds strange, doesn't it? Well, that's exactly what happened in India (印度). Over the past few months, thousands of young Indians have proudly called themselves "cockroaches." They wear cockroach masks, make funny videos, and share endless cockroach memes (迷因) online. At first, it looked like just another internet joke. But it wasn't. Behind the humor was real frustration (挫折; 沮喪). Behind the memes were young people who felt they weren't being heard. Today, we're going to talk about one of the most unusual protest (抗議) movements in recent years. We'll look at how it started, why India's Gen Z connected with it, and what this surprising symbol says about the way young people express themselves today. So, let's jump in. Where did the word "cockroach" actually come from? It wasn't a name that young people invented. It started with comments made by an Indian Judge Surya Kant. He criticized unemployed young people, he compared them to "cockroaches" and "parasites (寄生蟲)." His words quickly spread across social media and upset many young Indians. Most people would probably try to reject that kind of label (標籤). But one young man had a different idea. His name is Abhijeet Dipke, a recent Indian graduate of Boston University. He posted a simple question online: "What if all cockroaches came together?" People loved the idea. The joke spread incredibly fast. Soon, Dipke created an instagram account called the Cockroach Janta Party (政黨), or CJP, which sounds similar to the ruling party, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). They were not really trying to form a party, it was started as a joke. What began as a joke quickly became something much bigger. Young people started calling themselves "cockroaches." They created memes, funny videos, profile pictures, and AI-generated images of cockroaches wearing suits and giving political speeches. The message was simple: "If you think we're just cockroaches, then we'll proudly be cockroaches. And we're not going away." And another incident broke out. Let’s look at what happened. Education is extremely important in India, just like Taiwan and many other East Asian countries. Many students spend years preparing for difficult national exams because those exams can shape their future. Families invest a huge amount of time, money, and hope into helping their children succeed. Every year, there is a national entrance exam for medical school. Around two million students take this exam, but there are far fewer places available in medical colleges. For many students, years of hard work come down to this one test. But this year, something went terribly wrong. After the exam, investigators found that the exam paper had been leaked (洩漏) before test day. Because of the leak, the exam had to be cancelled and many students were told they would have to take it again. Imagine studying for years, finally finishing the biggest exam of your life, and then hearing, "You have to do it all over again." Many students felt angry, disappointed, and betrayed. Sadly, many students even committed suicide because of the pressure. Even people who weren't directly affected began asking the same question: "Can we still trust the system?" That feeling brought many young people together. What makes this movement especially interesting is the way Gen Z expressed that frustration. In the past, protests often focused on speeches, banners (布條; 橫幅), and organized meetings. Gen Z still protests in those ways sometimes. But they also use memes, jokes, and short videos. Humor has become part of their message. So the Instagram account, the Cockroach Janta Party\*\*,\*\* quickly attracted millions of followers, showing how a movement can grow online before many supporters ever meet in person. That's very different from the past. Years ago, people often joined organizations first. Today, they might join an Instagram page first. They watch videos, share posts, comment on memes, and slowly become part of a community. Sometimes, the internet isn't just helping a movement. It's where the movement begins. As more young people joined, they realized they weren't alone. Many shared the same worries about their future. Many felt adults weren't really listening to them. The cockroach became a way of saying: "You may ignore us. You may laugh at us. But we're still here." I think that's a very Gen Z way of communicating. Older generations often tried to sound serious and powerful. Gen Z often starts with humor. But behind the jokes is a serious message. They want their voices to be heard. And before long, what started as an internet joke moved from phone screens to the streets of New Delhi (新德里), where thousands of young people gathered to protest. That's where the story becomes even more interesting. So, what happened when the movement finally left social media and entered the real world? On June 6, thousands of people gathered in New Delhi. Many protesters wore cockroach masks or carried signs with funny cockroach drawings. What's interesting is that the organizers encouraged people to livestream (現場直播) the protest, record videos, and share updates online. Why? Because many protesters believed social media would show what was happening faster—and more completely—than traditional television news. When TV reporters from major news channels finally arrived, many protesters started telling the reporters to go away. Why were they so angry? Many protesters believed that television news had ignored their movement. They pointed out that Instagram, X, and YouTube were already full of videos from the protest, but many TV channels were talking about completely different topics instead of showing what was really happening during the protest. Some protesters also felt that when TV reporters finally showed up, they weren't interested in understanding the real issues. That brings us to something I find really fascinating. If you compare this protest with one from twenty or thirty years ago, they look completely different. Older generations usually depended on newspapers and television to spread their message. Today's Gen Z doesn't have to wait. They already have millions of people on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X. If something happens at a protest, someone records it. A few seconds later, thousands—or even millions—of people can watch it. Instead of asking, "Will the news report this?" Many young people now ask, "Should I post this?" That's a huge change. Another thing that makes Gen Z protests different is humor. For older generations, a protest often meant serious speeches, serious faces, and serious slogans. Gen Z still cares deeply about serious issues. But they often express those feelings in a completely different way. They use jokes. They use irony (諷刺). They use memes. Think about the cockroach itself. No traditional political group would probably choose an insect that people usually try to kill. But that's exactly why it worked. It was unexpected. It made people curious. And once people became curious, they wanted to know the story behind it. Humor doesn't mean people don't care. Sometimes it's exactly the opposite. Humor can make difficult conversations easier to start. It can help people who are nervous feel more comfortable joining in. And, perhaps most importantly, it's incredibly easy to share. A five-minute speech might be forgotten. A funny meme can travel around the world in a few hours. That's something Gen Z understands very well. Another difference is how online communities work. In the past, if you wanted to join a movement, you often needed to attend meetings, become a member, or know someone already involved. Today, joining can be as simple as following an account. You watch videos. Read comments. Share a post. Before you know it, you've become part of a community. That's exactly what happened with the Cockroach Janta Party. The movement first built a huge online audience before many supporters ever met face to face. When the protest finally took place, many people already felt connected because they had spent weeks following the movement online. Of course, social media also has its problems. Information spreads very quickly. But so do rumors (謠言). People sometimes share posts before checking whether they're true. That's why it's always important to read different sources and think carefully before believing everything you see online. Whether you're reading the news on television or scrolling through social media, critical thinking (批判性思考) is always important. So, what can we learn from this unusual story? For me, it's a story about communication. Every generation has something it wants to say. The only difference is how they choose to say it. Our grandparents wrote letters. Our parents watched television. Today's young people make memes, record short videos, and create online communities. The tools have changed. But the desire to be heard hasn't. What touched me most is that this story shows the energy of a democratic society (民主社會). It allows young people to respond to pressure with resilience, creativity, and even humor. I think that's both fascinating and deeply inspiring. Maybe that's why this story caught people's attention around the world. It showed a new language of protest. A language built with humor, creativity, and courage. Whether you agree with the protesters or not, it's hard to ignore how differently this generation communicates. And I think we'll probably see more movements like this in the future. So here's a question I'd like to leave you with. If you wanted to draw attention to an important issue, how would you do it? Would you write a speech? Join a protest? Post a video? Or maybe... create an Instagram account? Sometimes the smallest symbol can carry the biggest message. And sometimes, a cockroach can start a conversation that the whole world ends up talking about.I’m Miss Y, and I really hope you enjoyed learning English with me today. If you liked this episode, come back next time for another fun 15 to 20 minutes of simple, clear English and a brand-new topic to explore. Stay curious, and keep learning about the world in simple English. Powered by Firstory Hosting