Looking at two recent articles talking about the values and desires of the young people, one from the Chinese and one from the West, and comparing them with the ancient young people of about 2000 years ago in China, the answers are strangely similar. The values of the young have not changed neither in time nor in races. They are the values of the young.
Recently I read in the Chinese Newspaper about the desires of the young people in China.
Source: https://beltandroad.zaobao.com/beltandroad/news/story20210505-1140789
"他们表示，不想做一个拿着锯子的人，随时随地把人群锯成两半，不论对错只争输赢；不想成为流水线上制造出来的人；没有独立的人格只有人设的人；看不惯过得比他好的，看不起过得没他好的人；嘲讽别人的成功嘲笑别人的失败的人；没有同情心、不讲义气的人；不想做一个不爱国的人等。"
Translation:
They said they don't want to be a person carrying a saw to saw people into two halves; don't go by right or wrong but by win or lose. They don't want to be the products of following the currents; not having an independent character or identity just people or not people; dislike those that are better than them while looking down on those who are not as good as them; criticizing others success and laughing at those who failed; without compassion, and with loyalty. They do not want to be unpatriotic etc.
The young people of China seek:
- no division of people --- want harmony and unity
- righteousness or justice
- freedom from being forced by the currents
- an independent identity or character - be their unique self.
- respecting others and not despising others.
- compassion
- loyalty or faithfulness
- love their country
In an interview between Carey Nieuwh of Canada, and Tim Keller, a famous American preacher and philosopher, Tim spoke about reaching out to the young generation...
source: https://careynieuwhof.com/episode339/
Carey Nieuwhof: What would you say to those kids?
Tim Keller: Well, I think, I would say that Christianity's better resources for what they're trying to do. You're looking for freedom, you're looking for meaning, you're looking for satisfaction, you're looking for identity, you're looking for a basis for doing justice. You want a basis for doing justice that doesn't turn you into an oppressor yourself? Do you want to have an identity that's not performative, that is not exclusive? I said, "I got better resources for you."
Tim Keller: Right, identity, freedom, meaning, satisfaction, justice.
For the thinking and desires of the ancient young, I shall refer to the work of a famous Chinese Historian and Professor Yi Zhong Tian 易中天. He said that during the period of 魏晋南北朝 The Turbulent Periods around The time of the 3 Kingdoms, the young people then have the following:
A. Values:
1 Yearning for freedom 向往自由
Freedom from war, oppression, famines ... freedom to do my things (see point 4).
2 Desire for Authenticity (True Feelings) 渴望真情
Freed from the hypocrisy and phoniness. Take off our masks and be our true selves.
3 Contempt for Secular 蔑视世俗
Free from the superficial and complex customs and rules; forms without meaning and true content.
4 Following Your Heart (True Inner-self) 服从内心
Expressing the real you and doing what you feel. Don't care about what they think or say. Don't be a hypocrite.
5 Love of Nature 热爱自然
Freed from the darkness of the society to the nature of truthfulness, naturalness, and freedom.
B. Admired Behavior:
1 authentic expression of true feelings - being your true self, is better than
2 high intelligence
3 great beauty or style.
Conclusion:
The values of the modern young Chinese and Americans are very similar and are in fact best captured in Professor Yi's summary of the values and admired behavior of the Chinese people living about 2000 years ago. It shows that young men are all alike, irrespective of the races and even across times of thousands of years. Let's stop dividing people, by race, social standing, or nationality, or religion, or whatever. Let me quote from Confucius, 四海之内皆兄弟 within the four seas, all men are brothers. Let help build a more peaceful world. In this challenging time of the pandemic, let's remember that human beings are all in the same boat and so must work together to fight this external enemy that seeks to destroy human lives.
Lim Liat (c) 16 May 2021
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