Home » Opinion » Opinion Columns
Elites' spoiled rotten kids just the tip of the iceberg
By Wang Yong |
February 27, 2013, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
LI Tianyi, a celebrity couple's son accused of taking part in a gang-rape last week, represents just the tip of the iceberg of pampered Chinese teenagers.
Compared with children born into ordinary families, Li was more indulged and spoiled in terms of material things. For example, he could afford to drive expensive cars unimaginable to rank-and-file teens.
But psychologically speaking, many parents of lesser means are no less pampering when it comes to educating their only child. My colleagues, my friends and I often find it befuddling that so many teenagers today do not observe even the basic courtesies and rituals that were common only 30 years ago.
For example, many teenagers rarely greet visiting adults by acknowledging "Uncle so-and-so" or "Auntie so-and-so."
Their lips are tight and unsmiling, their heads are lowered and they seldom look people in the eye. Sometimes they even take up seats reserved for the elderly.
You seldom saw this type of behavior in teens in the 1980s and earlier. There were shy children, to be sure, but even they would call an adult visitor "Uncle" or "Auntie" with a smile, however shy it was.
The other day a niece and her mother paid a visit to my home. The girl, around age 15, gave me the cold shoulder after I greeted her warmly. Her mother was likewise indifferent, even after I took heavy packages from her.
Don't worry, I have polite relatives and friends. But this niece and her mother are not a rare species. They consider themselves sophisticated and Westernized but they so misunderstand Western culture that they equate warm greetings with loss of individuality.
And while children in the 1980s and earlier were taught by teachers and parents to do good - for instance, to be frugal and to help others - children today miss out on moral guidance and are mostly drowned in skill drills in English or math competitions. Li Tianyi was said to excel in both English and math.
While it was admirable to wear patched garments 30 years ago, it is considered shameful today. I remember my teacher praising me for physical labor in cleaning up my campus in the 1970s. Today few are proud of stooping to manual labor.
Had our society mobilized the mass media to promote decency and altruism, there would be fewer pampering parents and spoiled rotten children.
Compared with children born into ordinary families, Li was more indulged and spoiled in terms of material things. For example, he could afford to drive expensive cars unimaginable to rank-and-file teens.
But psychologically speaking, many parents of lesser means are no less pampering when it comes to educating their only child. My colleagues, my friends and I often find it befuddling that so many teenagers today do not observe even the basic courtesies and rituals that were common only 30 years ago.
For example, many teenagers rarely greet visiting adults by acknowledging "Uncle so-and-so" or "Auntie so-and-so."
Their lips are tight and unsmiling, their heads are lowered and they seldom look people in the eye. Sometimes they even take up seats reserved for the elderly.
You seldom saw this type of behavior in teens in the 1980s and earlier. There were shy children, to be sure, but even they would call an adult visitor "Uncle" or "Auntie" with a smile, however shy it was.
The other day a niece and her mother paid a visit to my home. The girl, around age 15, gave me the cold shoulder after I greeted her warmly. Her mother was likewise indifferent, even after I took heavy packages from her.
Don't worry, I have polite relatives and friends. But this niece and her mother are not a rare species. They consider themselves sophisticated and Westernized but they so misunderstand Western culture that they equate warm greetings with loss of individuality.
And while children in the 1980s and earlier were taught by teachers and parents to do good - for instance, to be frugal and to help others - children today miss out on moral guidance and are mostly drowned in skill drills in English or math competitions. Li Tianyi was said to excel in both English and math.
While it was admirable to wear patched garments 30 years ago, it is considered shameful today. I remember my teacher praising me for physical labor in cleaning up my campus in the 1970s. Today few are proud of stooping to manual labor.
Had our society mobilized the mass media to promote decency and altruism, there would be fewer pampering parents and spoiled rotten children.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
