China dreams

[khiemtran]

So, I was stuck in traffic the other day, leaving work, and I happened to see two friends of mine, a young Chinese couple, picking their way between the cars ahead, and, with the sun shining and some classical music on the radio, I couldn't help but wonder about the amazing generation that has appeared in today's China.

We heard all about the one child policy, and the gender imbalance and the Little Emperors and all the negatives, but I don't think anyone quite grasped what would happen if you took millions of children and gave them each the full resources, and the hopes and dreams, of a family, in a culture that already values education and enterprise.

This generation is like no other before it. Their parents battled through multiple wars and the cultural revolutions, just to give them the opportunity they have now. This generation is taking on the world and literally building a new society, the first truly modern China in centuries, picking and choosing to see just what they want their new world to be like. They are tech-savvy and brand conscious, and they are just starting to get to the point where their dreams won't just be the imported ones they've coveted on the internet and on tv. And when that happens, watch out...


Edited: I decided, on reflection, that "in a thousand years" wasn't actually true, so I changed it to "in centuries".

Comments

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

My husband was extremely impressed with China when he spent a couple of weeks there for two conferences on maths education. I totally agree that something very interesting and exciting is about to happen.