PRLog (Press Release) - Feb 21, 2007 -
Owing to development of economy and technology, the style and system of living in China has undergone a sea change. This social change has the maximum effect on youth. According to the 14th China Internet Statistical Report, there are 87million netizens and 36.8% of them are youth between 18 years old and 24 years old and out of this youth 70% are students. Youth is become more and more open in relationships and sex. China is a traditional nation avoiding talking about sex publicly. When children have problems about sex, parents & school teachers seldom give answers directly. There is a survey made by a university in Chongqin about how university students are getting sex knowledge. About 900 students gave their answers. It shows that 86% male students get sex knowledge from some illegal porn movies and magazines which are not scientific. And less than 1% female students read scientific books on sex. According to this survey, most of the youth get the knowledge of sex from TV, internet and magazines. However, this so-called “revolution”
The life of present day youth is all focused on study without caring about other details in life and getting good marks for entering good universities is their principal target. As a result, the pressure of study and work become heavier and heavier.
Finally, their level of consumption is getting higher and higher, the parents have to spend most of their earning on their children. Except cost on education the modern youth spend a lot on appearance, entertainment and likes. Today every youth wants to buy famous brands; they have to hang out with friends and sometimes buy presents for their friends; they like to play bands or video games which require them to update their equipment, and so on.
Taking account of China’s domestic policies, this consumerism will be a consideration for politicians to make laws or take policy decisions, because consumerism will have an impact on china’s work positions and way of living and cause political dispute. In today’s world, consumerism requires abundant materials and pursuit of other countries’ fashion which will affect China’s politics and how Chinese government deal with relations with other countries. On the other hand, consumerism is a guarantee to the development of China’s domestic economy. For example, the Y generation in US spends ten billions dollars on commodities, which stimulates the development of industry effectively. The same situation in china, as the demand of youth increasing, more work positions will be produced in China. Consumerism is an instrument to make people work hard and stabilize the economic reconstruction. And, the youth in China is the largest group supporting the consumerism, which makes consumerism one of characters of China youth.
It’s an intensely competitive society; people pay more attention on how to get more money. They worship money so much that they even forget how to enjoy life and family. People’s inside are neglect in addition, there is also a very important factor that is the influence of western culture. Because of china’s rapid development, the fight for successors between china and its rivals is getting more complicated.
This mind-set of the people especially the youth is leading to chaotic conditions in the society. The information technology revolution and the access of the modern youth to electronic media especially TV, cyber café has a mind-bugling effect on youth who is confused and at a cross road. On the one hand the youth in having link to ancestral cultural and social values but on the other hand he is being swayed by the invasion of western cultural to which he is mostly tempted. And all this in the name of development and globalization, the modern youth is becoming more frustrated and confused leading to more conflicts and disharmony in the society. So the development aspects if not understood properly and in all perspectives may lead to more misfortunes rather than fortunes more conflicts rather than harmony, more frustration rather than peace, more problems rather then solutions. So the open economy and development is a very ticklish issue which needs to be tackled in all perspectives for a better quality of life rather than better consumerism values.
Chen Yuting ‘Helen’, contributor of this study, is a senior student of Xuzhon Normal University and this study is compiled by her after consulting various magazines, news reports, websites and interviewing many students and other young people of China. Contact: chenyuting114helen@
