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“Most of them are the products of the Red Guard era, they don’t respect society or the environment,” said a young Chinese resident of Guiyang, who did not want
by josefresco 5y ago
“Most of them are the products of the Red Guard era, they don’t respect society or the environment,” said a young Chinese resident of Guiyang, who did not want to be named.
“Square dancing is a problem left over from history. Many elderly people feel that the whole China is built by their generation. They have the absolute voice and status. We young people have done nothing, and of course are not qualified to question them.”
Is this accurate?
- dirtyid 5y agoVery much yes. Imagine all the obnoxiousness of current internet cultural wars. Red guard is that, except it was a literal physical cultural war and they were the winners, which shaped their identities and sense of entitleness. It's a cohort with very strong personalities from a era where lack of shame was both a survival mechanism and got you far.
- nathanyukai 5y agoI grow up in Beijing and I have to say this is not accurate but statement like this surely is eye-catching in western media... My view on this is that the old generation just don't have the habit and common courtesy of living in cities, they lived in poor rural areas for many years before come to the city. Things like queueing, keep voice down was simply not needed outside of city, The young generation is much better at these, though still have plenty of space to improve!
- schleck8 5y agoThis article is based on a piece by South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3151243/chinas-dancing-grannies-viral-stun-gun-claims https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/arti... > According to the Post, square dancing has its roots in the Cultural Revolution, particularly the great link-up of 1965 and the educated youth campaign in 1969. The damas are of middle age because square dancing links back to these moments of their youth when collectivism was an important social value in China.
- nathanyukai 5y agoI agree that the 60s has a link to this collective activity, but I believe they do it now to exercise and socialise, it's not a power move or anything. The Chinese society are ashamed of that period, and a power move like that will back fire. Another part in play could be the Confucius culture, some stubborn elders would expect respect from youngsters even though they are the annoying kid.
- at_a_remove 5y agoHunh. China has its own Boomer problem. The parallels are interesting. Fascinating.
- llampx 5y agoI would think that the people currently having kids are the boomers in China, because they are the ones who benefit from the wealth being generated today the way boomers in the US and western Europe did in the 50s and onwards.
- khuey 5y agoIn terms of political and cultural impact in the United States the defining characteristic of the Baby Boomers is not the wealth they grew up with but their sheer number.
- pessimizer 5y agoTheir number was a result of their parents' wealth.
- seanmcdirmid 5y agoTheir number was a result of a post WW2 boom. In China the boom was even more so since a lot more people were lost in the war, then the civil war, then the Korean war, and then famines in the 1950s.
- khuey 5y agoAnd then the one child policy which shrank later generations.
- wolverine876 5y agoWealthy people tend to have fewer children.
- pessimizer 5y agoIt's accurate that modern China was built by their generation...
- Zigurd 5y agoHaving done some traveling internally in China, there is an interesting generational thing: Grannies will throw an elbow and cut in line, expecting you will let them. I learned to block the pass with my wheelie bag.