In a cynical age of elite hypocrisy, the extraordinary public mourning for Zhang Xuefeng revealed who still speaks to the anxieties of China’s struggling majority.
Very long talk! I tend to follow Warren Buffet’s advice: first, look after your own health, don’t put off what you want to do with your life until after you have “made it” (Buffet says it’s like sex, it can’t wait till you are old), and focus on your top three life goals. That seems to summarise Buffet’s advice to a young person! I only wish I knew (and understood) earlier in my life! 😂
All of this stems from China’s rapid development over the last 20 years. The life experiences of average parents can rarely provide valuable insight for their children’s educational choices; their perspectives are simply outdated.
When I entered university 20 years ago, neither my teachers nor my parents gave me any guidance. As a result, I ended up blindly choosing a university in a second-tier city and majoring in Law without knowing anything about it. It wasn't until I started my studies that I discovered Law was one of the "red-card" majors at the time—meaning it had one of the worst employment rates.
However, a few years after I graduated, Law suddenly became popular again. The core reason was that a Law degree didn't just lead to becoming a lawyer; a vast number of government agencies began recruiting Law graduates. Many students who were originally in STEM fields even switched to Law just to make it easier to apply for civil service positions.
This trend reached its absolute peak during the COVID-19 era. But now, the tide has turned again. The number of lawyers in China is approaching 1 million, and demand across various sectors is nearing saturation. Studying Law today no longer offers particularly bright prospects. It may take several years and another economic cycle before we see any real change.
Very long talk! I tend to follow Warren Buffet’s advice: first, look after your own health, don’t put off what you want to do with your life until after you have “made it” (Buffet says it’s like sex, it can’t wait till you are old), and focus on your top three life goals. That seems to summarise Buffet’s advice to a young person! I only wish I knew (and understood) earlier in my life! 😂
Really good essay
Moving. I thought it was difficult being from a rural area in US where few went to college but I had it easy compared to many.
No wonder birth rates are so low; everyone is under tremendous pressure.
All of this stems from China’s rapid development over the last 20 years. The life experiences of average parents can rarely provide valuable insight for their children’s educational choices; their perspectives are simply outdated.
When I entered university 20 years ago, neither my teachers nor my parents gave me any guidance. As a result, I ended up blindly choosing a university in a second-tier city and majoring in Law without knowing anything about it. It wasn't until I started my studies that I discovered Law was one of the "red-card" majors at the time—meaning it had one of the worst employment rates.
However, a few years after I graduated, Law suddenly became popular again. The core reason was that a Law degree didn't just lead to becoming a lawyer; a vast number of government agencies began recruiting Law graduates. Many students who were originally in STEM fields even switched to Law just to make it easier to apply for civil service positions.
This trend reached its absolute peak during the COVID-19 era. But now, the tide has turned again. The number of lawyers in China is approaching 1 million, and demand across various sectors is nearing saturation. Studying Law today no longer offers particularly bright prospects. It may take several years and another economic cycle before we see any real change.
in a cynical age of elite hypocrisy?
Your story is set in China, where elite hypocrisy is pretty much unknown.
Why?
quite a speech by Zhang Xuefeng, from the details his case reminds me of Karoshi ( 過労死 ).