🇨🇳 China: Broken dreams | 101 East
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- čas přidán 23. 08. 2012
- Many young Chinese are losing faith in China's economic miracle.
Although the nation's economy has expanded to more than $7 trillion and is poised to overtake the US in the next decade as the world's largest, fewer Chinese feel they are sharing in the prosperity.
A sense of disillusionment is spreading, particularly among the post-1980 generation, who are well-educated and mobile but still struggle to find profitable jobs.
Signs that the economy is slowing only add to the malaise. The Chinese government predicts the economy will grow by 7.5 per cent in 2012, down from 9.2 per cent last year, which would be the slowest growth rate since 1990. Economists say this could mean the loss of two million jobs.
At the same time a record number of new graduates are looking for work. Some 25 million Chinese will be on the job hunt this year. Even those who find work are frequently disappointed.
Surveys show that young Chinese office workers in big cities are widely unhappy. Most complain of a feeling of insecurity.
After two decades of economic reform, per capita GDP has risen 13-fold, and average salaries in major cities are on par with those in many developed countries. The post-80s generation, the first to come of age in this era of opportunity, has been raised on a belief that if one can do well in school, graduate from a good university and work hard on his or her career, one can enjoy a measure of success.
Instead, many find themselves squeezed by skyrocketing housing costs, rising prices for basic necessities and family pressures. As a large percentage of the post-80s generation are only children, they alone will be expected to provide for their parents and older relatives.
As many as three million young Chinese professionals toil in slum-like conditions in cramped housing on the outskirts of big cities. They are known as 'ant tribes,' a term coined by scholar Lian Si, China's foremost researcher on post-80s graduates.
"They share every similarity with ants," writes Lian. "They live in colonies in cramped areas. They're intelligent and hardworking, yet anonymous and underpaid."
Li Zhirui from China's northeast is one of them. Home is an eight square metre space outside Beijing that costs 500 Chinese yuan per month, a quarter of his salary. He dreams of one day buying an apartment, but with average real estate prices in the capital soaring to more than 20,000 yuan per square metre, he could be in for a very long wait.
He has already lost his fiancée, who dumped him when he refused to buy a second-hand car and an engagement ring.
The experiences of Li and other 'ant tribes' resonate strongly with young Chinese and have spawned a popular song and a TV series called Struggle of the Ant Tribe.
But for some despair takes over. Suicide has become the biggest cause of death for Chinese between 15 and 34 years of age.
In a recent trend, some young graduates are deciding to flee the big cities and instead seek opportunity in smaller cities and towns. But there, too, they are frustrated, as they discover that good diplomas - and even ability - do not open doors. Local networks and family background do.
Leading Chinese sociologist Guo Yuhua calls this phenomenon of young Chinese "escaping and returning" an example of widespread disappointment that is spreading across China. She says people are bitter when they see their social status languishing in contrast to the "rise of a great and powerful nation".
"People are discovering that society's resources and opportunities are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few. People in the middle and lower strata of society are becoming increasingly marginalised and are finding that improving their lives is getting harder," she says.
She warns this imbalance could lead to "the rich getting richer and the poor poorer, the strong permanently strong and the weak permanently weak .... The biggest harm may not be in the gap between rich and poor itself, but the deterioration of the overall societal ecosystem."
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It sounds like China is experiencing many of the same issues as the Unites States. We've also had a great deal of "economy/culture shock" with our next generation. They were told that each of them is special and they could do "anything they dreamed with hard work". That fairytale quickly came to an end after graduating into a difficult job market.
They are doing the same mistakes as the US. Exactly the same mistakes. That's the deep dive into capitalism. It has its pros and cons.
too much looking for a job
There’s one major difference between the American and Chinese younger generations: The Chinese are far, far more driven and competitive, just like the older American generations. Millions upon millions of young Chinese can (and are) learn the latest tech and skills IN ENGLISH. How many young Americans can do that in Chinese?
Saarland 2 China if you had had just 9 eggs for your entire family to share each and every month, you’d have second thoughts about socialism and think better of capitalism.
@@kayakmanonthego You are right about the Spirit but not all Chinese (or people) are alike. Socialism or Capitalism is Outside (same as in School, including University; they teach Outside-IN, but seldom Students are Facilitated or understand Inside-OUT: making use of what we Know).
Many are complacent in their own world but it is the Environment (including Culture) which shape their Future (America can be like China, if the Environment provides). Good to have leadership change but if there is a Reasonable Good Leader, he / she should be allowed to Continue. Leadership shapes Society by providing them with a good environment. A good Environment knows there are different types of People who need different Support in a Diverse Society ...
In the CZcams there are those who did not make it. Providing them with Support they need, helps ... It's can be Inspiring and Motivational but School does not Facilitate Collaboration which might help one to connect with another on a project (if they fail at school). This is another "Environment" that one need to be immerse in. A Dream does not need to reside on One Person (himself or herself)
The first step to a miserable life is to start comparing. I can sympathize with the man in the last segment of the video, but I think most of his worries and negative vibes are self inflicted. When you start comparing your life to others, its an endless regression into misery. He should adjust his mental state of reference and learn to accept reality for what it is. Work hard to achieve happiness, not chase after empty dreams.
Very well said. I commend you.
its easy to judje whilst observing from far..that person only understands what he' going through of instead of judjing and crtisizing him,we just should try to undertand their situation and at the same time be grateful for our blesings
Mj gonzalez I agree with you that we should really count our blessings. That makes us happier. Don't keep harping on the negatives in life, see more of the positives that we might have taken for granted. :) Many times I forget about these happiness and start showing signs of "first world problems". Then I realised I am already one lucky guy to be living comfortably now, what else is there to ask for..
EXCELLENT STATEMENT! ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! GO YOUR OWN WAY! I'm a German guy working as a teacher in CHINA. I left everything I had and started a new life. Check out my videos.
the essence of Chinese culture is constant comparing
BS - When young - they said U have no working , when U are experienced - they said U are too old for the job.
29 years is not young? According to chinese tradition sure, for a woman that wants to be a housewife. For a career woman that is young. You cant have both.
Yes you can !
You're barely starting out in life at 29.
Yes you can! My mother did it, and she was a single parent for a very long time!
Yes you can! My mother did it, and she was a single parent for a very long time!
even in india too by 29 years they would have married her off
Man, I really sympathise with the last kid who works as a fast food delivery driver for the japanese company. He didn't want to tell his parents of not finishing his undergraduate as it would bring shame so he had no choice to find a crappy job. i Just wanna give him a hug man he seems like such a sad dude. i hope he finds a nice job and a girlfriend.
The bottom line is they have graduated with useless majors those have no demand in current job markets. Same as American dream.... dream breaks after graduation. No job and tons of student loans.
I thought it's only African problem where parents tell us to go to school with a hope of bright future , after studying so hard you end up as useless as someone who didn't go to school
Not necessarily.. These are isolated incidents, not the rule.
@@PheneticsCo It has become the rule in China, and is becoming more the rule in other regions, too.
If you have a good idea and some idealism, take the money that you spend on your education and open your own business.
At least you can write and read.
America too
this was released in 2012 but it still holds true very much today not just in China but the rest of the world. As the previous generations live longer and refuse to retire it makes it difficult for the younger generation to find employment and at the same time so many people feel empowered to go to school for x degree only to find out the job market is terrible and end up working some low skill retail job that offers no exit. It doesn't help that technology is constantly growing and its only a matter of time before even these low skill jobs are replaced by machine which only makes things worse
Great film, but an ad every 2.5 minutes is a bit much
Use an ad-blocker, or a web browser with inbuilt ad-block.
Great insight on Chinese work market. It must be really difficult to stand out from a sea of people the same age and aspirations as you.
I feel this social phenomenon is happening a lot around the world.
It is like a bird in a cage dreaming to fly,...
More like a panguin in a volcano bc dreams don't come true.
Dream+goal+hardwork=success
@@nsv5929 What is success?
As a Ph.D. student in a top 30 university in the US. I and many of my classmates are still struggling to find good jobs. Persuasion never stops.
God this is depressing...
From the start there is already something wrong here. The girl said your fate isn't predetermined. The she goes to say thru hard work and struggle you can change it (your fate). We'll i'm not that smart, but you work to change something that is already there on the first place. So how can she said fate isn't predetermined?
+Panday Pira
Is English your first language?
What she said makes sense. She said, "your fate (isn't = IS NOT) predetermined". So therefore, you can change it.
lol the funniest moment is she said "i thought money was just everywhere, youd just scoop it up for yourself. but its not like that all" lol
Wong's story touches my heart. She seems like a honest young beautiful 29 woman, willing to work hard to support her family.. I truly pray for her happiness.. Go Wong... Jia Yo :)
Seriously youtube! An effen advertisement every 2 minutes! I can't even retain what I'm watching it listening to! Waste of time! Flipping ridiculous!
The difference is in China you need to be connected to people who are politically powerful. In the West the connection does not have to involve a political figure.
May God bless these students with a good job...and a fantastic future...Amen..🙌🙌
"money or fame" I hear chinese kids talk like this, like it has been scripted for a movie. it seems there is very little realism in their hopes.
They seem not to understand the bottom up approach. You start at the very bottom, keep moving up, then one day you land a great job. But too many, as I can see, dream of their first job being their dream job. But it doesn't happen like that anywhere in this world.
A little more down to earth, a little more reasonable expectations, must be a course to be taught in chinese universities.
Plus, going to a small or mid-sized city is not such a bad idea if you can get started there with a better job. Reasonable expectations kids.
Seniors Tube bottom up, work hard😀😁😂that applies for the born of privilege written into the American dream never meant be attained by the Minorities here or any other country especially the U.S Who you fooling. You know that's bullshit.
man, the problem is there is no job.. not quality issue, no job. However, god time to be a labor buying though
Insightful words from the lady at the beginning. I deeply appreciated this documentary. The pursuit of happiness is ultimately the pursuit of suffering, for in desire we cause stress. This is none more evident than in modern society.
I suggest what Chinese universities and even parents should do if they haven't done so is to encourage their young generation to work while they are still in university. When I was in college here in Florida,USA (early 2000s)I had to work a part-time job while attending classes full-time. I know fellow classmates who even worked two jobs while attending full time and it's just to cover their living expenses and reduce taking out loans. Many of them either worked at retail, grocery stores, fast food restaurants or fancy restaurants.
At late teens/early 20s, I didn't understand why my university encouraged us to take up part-time jobs while at school part-time. Now looking back, I see why. It seems like the Chinese workforce is looking for people withsome kind of work experience. Thus, although the part-time jobs will not most likely align with their future dream career, at least they can acquire the work ethic and basic real world skills that will come in handy someday when they graduate. Know this from personal experience.
China has a lot of people. Majority of the people compete for the same bowl of rice. It is not just about how smart you are. It's about how different you are. It is not easy to be different when everyone is educated the same way and think the same way.
i am so glad i live in America where my hard work and determination actually paid off. feel bad for china, but Chinese production strength lies simple blue collar factory jobs. Now that i graduated with a high GPA, i got a stable job that pays well.
Everyone deserves an equal chance in life and hard work and education should have its rewards. The Chinese government really needs to clamp down on corruption and whatever else is causing the disparity between the elite and non elite. There should be a minimum wage, for example, if business owners are getting rich by paying poorly.
I feel so sad for the girl and wonder myself how some can make so much money while others struggle with getting the basics.
You'd really be in a hurt 50 years ago, people don't realize it used to take 14 hour a day back breaking work just so you can eat and live with several people in a shack with 1 broken transistor radio for entertainment.
Holy the bus just missed that man's head at 16:05
im Haitian,finding work there is near to nil.ive moved from Saint Martin to the US to Canada for work.and despite living a comfortable life.it gets very hard to adjust and making friends.even tho everyday seems like a repetition.i could never think of leaving my family.there are much worse things out there.count ur blessing cause even the things you take for granted millions of people are wishing they could have just that
I bet these kids would really not like it if it was 50 years ago. You used to have to work all day for food and a space to sleep on in a shack. They're a whole lot better off today.
That's the truth! A lot of people don't have chance.You have to be damn good to have a chance.
7:00 i thought he was talking about Sydney... welcome to the new world! It’s like this everywhere
As usual 101 east delivers spot on correspondence. Thank you so much.
Didn't finish the show, not because of content, but due to WAY too many ads...
I am a U.S.A. citizen, I have 2 university degrees, various diplomas and certifications, no criminal record, clean driving record, bilingual English-Spanish........and you know what I am doing? I work in a plant as a grinder, I grind metal with people that have 0% education.
I graduated in china in 2008 and immigrant to the US in 2010, I got one degree in china, and another in America. I totally understand what is going on in the video. The population in china is too much bigger than what it is in the US, one of my friends work as HR in china, he says he can receive more than 300 resume for a single position in a single day. In american, I post a position online, there is likely only 10-20 resume for a whole week.......life is not easy for immigrant, but the big difference is , in china, there are too much unfair things happen, while in the US, I can keep the belief that if you work hard, you will have a way.
China won't be great, because china has too many people like you, who are incredibly irrational, disrespect reality, simply try to hide truth or unconditional defending anything of China. You are either a 50 cents commentor or incredible stupid.
again, you are either a 50 cents commenter or incredible stupid.
Definitely a 50cents commentator. His stupidity is a shame to his own country.
Losers remain losers wherever they go. However, I think in China the great advantage is that we are not used to lose or to give up. Young university graduates get their life settled much more easily than elsewhere.
garrett chan, u simply fabracate idea from your imagination. I work in a normal firm in the US and get average pay every month.......again, your words proved that you are the stupid one
she sounds like shes about to cry aww...
It's amazing how much this mirrors what is happening in the USA and pretty much everywhere else as well.
Amazing documentary.
101 east is a good program. Thanks
I totally feel you bro.
The video I never forget
Sometimes to avoid disappointments,
*Just live within one's means or hope in proportionate to his/her skill.*
China is the most economically unequal country. The rich are mega rich, the poor are MEGA POOR. And in post-Mao Chinese culture, extreme selfishness and money chasing is the center of most peoples life. Generosity and benevolence is rare .
their greediness is also the cause of conflict in Myanmar.. chinese behind it..
But .... Income inequality is a world wide issue
When it comes to Greed, no one comes close to rich countries who are willing to go to war to steal oil and natural resources.
18:57 This guy reminds me of Peter Parker when he was using a motor bike to deliver pizzas in Spider-Man 2 lol.
Hope all had gone well for him though (been about 5 years now since this episode). I like how he has dreams of making it big, but is also content with makiby just enough to live a decent life.
Mao must be spinning in his mausoleum.....
Whole Beijing is powered by the electricity he provides
That problem is like from the Philippines,many of my country men, graduated but never get decent job,as if they didn't graduated as degree holder,the system here in Philippines is palakasan system,that's why many of our kababayans decided to go abroad to look for a greener pasture
as a 22 years old chinese young man
i feel nothing change
Good and informative!
Also as for education due to the popularity of forged education certificates it creates obstacles for college educated people who actually have the skills required for a job they're looking for. Employers become over-cautious in determining whether a potential employee is "fake" or not.
Same everywhere.
I'm only seeing ad after ad
I hope this 12 ad in this 24 min video better help them
This is the same thing going on in the USA
***** True. Have you seen the documentary speaking on the 4th worls that exists worldwide. These are in reference to the slums around the world and the people who are surviving daily there?
Same in Germany.
LIVING SIMPLE AND HOLY LIFE IS GOOD, THOUGH IT MAY SOUND STUPID. IT IS NOT WRONG TO BE RICH, TRY TO BE HAPPY AND POSITIVE.
LIving simple makes you happy. Living holy makes you healthy.
Haha! It's true. Amony 6.8 millions colleague graduates in China every year, 3/4 of them are engineers. China's high tech develops very fast due to sufficient engineer man power. China educates new engineers every year more than the sum of US, Europe, Japan and India.
Oh good. Well at least Im not the only with a University degree working a menial job.
Needing some understanding of a love I gave up on brought me here. Met someone online back in 06 who grew up in Beijing, she was 38 then. In short the relationship grew and I visited her 3 times in 07. It was a great experience for me going outside the box to find a different kind of feeling for life and people and culture. Well in short her and her sister who she lived with were not working. Things were progressing between us and I told her to find work to make some money while waiting for the paper work to be finished. She would only say that it wasn't easy to find good work, especially for a 38 year old woman. To many people she would say but I just didn't have a clear understanding of what was going on over there. They even had to lie to their parents that they did have jobs so they wouldn't have to hear there parents concerns constantly. In short I gave up on her thinking that she would not want to work when she eventually came to live with me. She eventually moved back with family who I did meet back then. I feel like I gave up on her. This goes far beyond what everyone may think on top of the table as she would put it. This story of the Ant tribe has helped me have a better understanding of her culture, life, and thinking process there in Beijing and China as a whole. Positive comments are welcome please.
Asian parents are the worse. I went to grad school have a career in research and they ask me why I didn't go into the medical field or go to pharmacy school like my friends. Makes you feel like a failure but I have reconciled that they are projecting their insecurities on me. This is why a lot of the young professionals abandon their elderly parents. There is so much resentment for so many years for so many things.
If you are happy to wake up, you are a success. All else is trying to find happiness in other approval.
I dont think they are the worse. They are extremely conservative. But things have started to change. It depends on where you live. In China were the population are still relatively poor. Yes there is a more widespread believe that unless you are a Doctor or Engineer, you are not a success. But if you go to Singapore, it is not really the case anymore. I personally think that Singaporean kids these days are such a spoil brat and the current generation parents are not half as tough as my generations were. So I believe that things are changing.
It's more like they're clueless about how different the job market works from the way it was during the time they were young. You can't just pick a hard a subject to study at school and get good grades to land a job. Grades mean squat now to employers, unless you're in academia. They care more about real job experience. It also helps to study unpopular fields that have a high demand for workers.
Don't be angry with your parents. Asians are always overprotective. Their fear is that if you won't succeed nobody will take care of you when they pass away. Also the work markets have changed a lot since they were young. I was actually told that software engineering is not a suitable profession for a girl. I literrally cried every time I didn't pass an interviee after the graduation.
lalakuma9 Tell me about it. My mom, and her side of her family are japanese. The words " You will be only the best" or else was what my 奥様 told me. Got accepted into Emory, while my elder sister became a attorney(35yrs). She still cant find a job in her field. The whole " Work hard, follow the rules, and do well in school to do well in life" has long been dead and buried. You could be valedictorian in high school, get accepted into a top ivy League school, graduate with honors, and still be just as poor, as if you had dropped out of high school, without a GED. And Kami help you if you have student loans to pay off!.
Not true. As a Chinese myself I have to admit that the democratic political system is better than any autocratic system that humans have ever come up with. If China was to have a transparent mass-elected political system the Guanxi system would easily fall apart because people can no longer build up relations with a few unelected officials. At the same time however, the introduction of a fully democratic system right now would be disastrous due to the lack of decent moral standards in society.
Any update??
Exactly, in this world some people get what they want, most don't
Why this is not shown to me back in 2012. o.o
Only 500 a month in a big city?! I wish! Here its like 1,500-2000 dollars 😣
What is the use of such a boom when all it has created is dystopia and anxiety? Everyone seems very worried about their future.
it's been 7 yrs since the posting of this video but the topic is very much updated.. all she issues discussed here not only pertains to the Chinese but to all nationalities.. everyone needs to be contented in what they have.. parents must let their kids dream for themselves..
OMG could there be more commercials !
Please remember the good things in your life. You have so much to live for. There are many people who love you and wish the best for you. Please don't despair.
Great! The world will teach good lessons to China soon
at the end, they used the word "admire" when they should've used "envied"
Cities are always kind of unfair.
interesting docu, but @Aljazeera you receive a HUGE DISLIKE: tooo much ads, too irritating and it pops up in the place where we have subtitles
Interesting to watch this in 2019
this makes me really sad....... i wanted to go to china to learn a bit more about my culture but i dont know how i feel about this
Why al jazeera always talk about bad things ? Tell us more about your country's turbulence
@@SussiestCat 😀😀that is exactly the reason i'm chalenging them,, they are just like a sickman telling others to live healthyly
Well, I got my Bachelor in China, Master and Ph.D. abroad. I know there is difference but not that much. Graduates from top universities in China are not worse or even better in some sense compared to their peers in the US or other western countries. Furthermore, quantities change at one day would lead to quality change.
Not much different here in the United States. I got 2 college degrees , management experience and I have been temping all year for minimum wage doing unskilled labor and rent a room and can't afford my student loan payments.
+guayacan07
That was 5 years ago. How are you doing now?
only with 300 or 400 USD per month income but have to pay like 500 for a acceptable apt,feel so sad when i watch this,cos this is so true
They seem to be doing fine compared to a lot of other people in poorer regions around the world. I will graduate from university very soon and I am already nervous about being able to find a job. This documentary is touching, but it is a problem that is no way confined to China. Its a very competitive world out there...
You have to recheck history. 1979 was not the last time China engaged in a military conflict. And I think to say some countries want peace or believe in a certain principle is an over-generalization and -simplification which fail to take into account the complexity of diverse political forces shaping foreign policies.
i love your words...
Having lived for short stents in China in apartments with Chinese, and having spent time socializing with young Chinese in and around the outskirts of Beijing I believe this documentary, and also the film footage, to be very accurate and truthful. Not something you find a lot of in these social-political times. Thank you AlJazeera. I am a first generation American, my parents came from Europe and Chinese culture is so very different from anything I've known. Sometimes I long to be back there.
That man was about to be knocked out at 15:56.
education is liberating, but can also be blinkering and fettering students minds. the discipline of thinking and knowledge needs to applied in every level of life and living or education just becomes a isolating experience wherr u do not understand anyone or others do not understand u.
Exactly. The high competition and difficult life in big cities in China today for young people is inevitable. Nobody can change this situation, except time. Even 20 years later, it will still be difficult for young people in Beijing due to high apartment cost and high congestion. This is a city too big. Look at Tokyo, is it easy for a young Japanese to buy an apartment there?
business skills theoretical/practical mismatch in Asia was always there as long as i can think back - 40yrs or so i do business with that part of the world. Anyway it is getting an increasing problem in Europe also
quantity doesn't necessarily guarantee quality, it's not that simple in terms of higher education system in china
yup
$500 a month is cheap for a major city like Beijing....I live in a very small city in New Hampshire, US. I pay 750 for 1 bedroom apt a month.
Are u insane? $500 in China is like $3000 in America.
ерунда сэндвич Based on what? Plus, US dollar is worth more than Chinese Yuen.
Yes us is worth more than Chinese dollar.
ерунда сэндвич So how's 500 in China equivalent to 3000 in the US?
+Jebuscristo Look at it on the basis of relative incomes. The average salary for new college grads in Beijing is around $400 per month, I believe. The rent prices are great if you're an American or European expatriate with savings or investment income etc. but it's hard for people earning local wages, especially young people.
i m not gonna feed on someone elses dreams, it makes a lot of people feel better, but not me
wow at 15:56, guy almost gets decapitated by bus...
Hahaha that's normal in CHina.
Bruh...
????????????????????? what?
Why do most asian parents want their kids to go to a medical related field of job 🙄 I’m Asian and my parents wanted me to be a nurse or a doctor and so do my friends parents. I mean do they realize how stressful the job actually is how and expensive it will be...
Same story here in India .
Yes, for me, and many don't have any job. Many many, especially us younger people, are unemployed, or 'underemployed.' I'm not sure it shows in the statistics either. I live in Texas, which is one of the better states. It is very discouraging.
the issue is the same everywhere from what i can gather... For the last 20 years unis have opened up in greater numbers and the youth have been encouraged to better themselves which they have done assuming that there will be high paying jobs and careers at the end of their studies. Of course, that isn't the case.. The powers have never thought about it and in truth, don't care so therefore there are nowhere near enough graduate jobs.
The only winners are the large corporations (as usual) who now have a much bigger and more educated pool of graduates to choose from, which can keep salaries nice and low.. If one won't do it for a low salary, another will...
I wish I could meet Chen min jan in real life as I too faced d same problem during my undergraduaduation.
Yeah. I have two degrees and I just quit a job I'd had for ~2 years making $600-700 / month. And I'm a 30yr old American. Today I was working alongside a man in his late 40s who is working for $25/hr fixing up a space in a building; he cut his hand, but acted like it was no thing, because he was afraid to lose the work, even though it's very temporary.
The solution to all this might be in a book called "Natural Capitalism," but it's not been tried, so I can't say for sure.
I feel for this last guy
Young people keep your dreams fight for your right
Damn, this is sad
Way too many people on this earth for the amount of jobs available. Universities have become businesses with big promises that likely will not deliver.