By Clare Luo San

There’s a youth movement going on in China. With the spread of television and the Internet, young Chinese children are seeing how their peers in the western world live and want to carry themselves in the same manner.

Take my brother for example. He’s 12 years old; 10 years younger than I am but he is nothing like me. He is fascinated by computer games and the Internet. Games like Counter Strike capture his constant attention. In fact, all he wants to do when he gets back from school is quickly eat lunch so he can be at the Internet café as soon as possible. He’s even been known to sneak out of the house at dawn just to go to the Internet café. Familiar with downloading movies and songs, chatting on the Internet, keeping up with pop stars, he shows little interest in the serious things that are happening around the world.

I have tried to talk to him, to guide him in our traditional Chinese ways. But this is very difficult. Our style of old fashioned discipline doesn’t work on his generation. My generation grew up with their parents and grandparents beating us so we would become obedient. Even the most rebellious kids learned to yield to their elders – not only at home but at school as well. My brother’s generation seems unwilling to yield to discipline. He hides, locked in his room doing “his business” and my mother is no longer able to threaten him to open his door, no matter what she curses. While he may have a point in wanting the right to his own privacy, she has a point, too. But all of a sudden, it seems that there are so many self-centered and disrespectful children in China.

Certainly this youth movement has a lot to do with the infusion of different cultures around the world. I grew up as the “opening up” to the West was just starting. From 1990 on, China has been trying to catch up and keep pace with the west. China wants to take part in the global economy and global communication, which has introduced our country to the Internet. As a result of this, kids born in the 90’s are able to use the computer as soon as they learn to write Chinese characters. They hardly worry about pocket money because many are the only children in their families – doted on and spoiled by their parents. My brother’s peers know about Intelligence Property, talk about democracy, ask about the legitimacy of our traditions and call for more humanity.

In the meantime, parents are failing to cope with these new circumstances that have been thrust upon them so quickly. As a result, many collisions take place. Too much TV, too little studying; too much Internet, not much knowledge about world affairs, etc. Perhaps if I were born in the 90’s I would rebel against traditions, too. But I still don’t think I would disrespect my elders. Is it the poverty I experienced as a child that has taught me to have respect, to listen and obey and assume responsibilities?

Whatever it is, a new age has arrived and there’s not much anyone can do to stop it. Yet, as this generation begins to remold some of our culture, perhaps they can also keep in mind what Thomas Jefferson wrote in Education for Democracy: [You need] “a good conscience, good health, occupation and freedom in all pursuits” as well as guides on “how to work out their own greatest happiness.”