Looking for a success mantra for youth

Scandals about rich second-generation youngsters such as squandering money and drink-driving accidents have associated gaofushuai and baifumei with brashness and egotism. This is in stark contrast to the struggles that ordinary people have to go through to partake of the limited resources.

An increasing number of people now tend to believe that social hierarchy is synonymous with family background, which can hardly be changed through individual endeavor. People prefer calling themselves diaosi not because they belong to the lowest echelons of society, but because they feel it is extremely difficult to get appropriate returns for their efforts in today's society.

The popularity of diaosi thus reflects many a person's disappointment with the "established" norms of social equality and class mobility. In a sense, it reflects the pessimism of a large number of people who, despite being part of the middle class, suffer from the "loser" feeling.

The authorities should be aware of the undesirable reality that youth from simple families not only lack effective channels to advance their careers and climb the social ladder, but also have to tackle the problems of high living costs and housing prices. If a white-collar worker with a decent job in Beijing cannot pay the installment for even a bathroom with his or her salary for the entire year, it's easy to understand why he/she prefers to be called a diaosi.

But the self-mockery the "losers" use has a positive side as well. It reflects people's optimism with life and the value and respect they attach to individual efforts as opposed to ill-gotten wealth. By claiming to be a diaosi, Han Han is not mocking his "failure"; on the contrary, he is highlighting his hard-earned success. In this context, diaosi ceases to be a term describing a loser. It becomes a word that declares: "I have earned everything all by myself". And to some extent, diaosi becomes a symbol of struggle.

Moreover, despite complaining about social inequality created by family background, the majority of the youth still believe they can compete with those who were born in rich families. That's why nixi, or overcoming difficulties to achieve success in life despite lack of family support, indicates being a diaosi is a counterattack on gaofushuai and baifumei.

Given the problems faced by today's vigorous youth, the authorities should take measures to ensure that youngsters, irrespective of their family background, get equal opportunities to shine in their career and life. After all, the youth are the future of the country.

The author is a writer with China Daily. E-mail: wangyiqing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 01/05/2013 page5)