Why do young people empathize with Kong Yiji?

Have you ever felt that after studying in college but not finding the job you wanted, feeling distressed and depressed, a bit like Kong Yiji who has difficult ambitions and is frustrated? If you have, then you are not alone. Recently, a monologue of "frustrated scholar" has appeared on the hot search, attracting the empathy of a large number of young people. They said: The young man does not understand Kong Yiji, but he is already a person in the book.

Who is Kong Yiji? He is a classic character in Lu Xun's novels and the most famous frustrated scholar in the whole world. So, why do young people cross the river of time to empathize with Kong Yiji, a frustrated scholar in a novel? I'm afraid Lu Xun won't think of it. So what characteristics of Kong Yiji gave birth to this kind of empathy?

First of all, in this era of coexistence of change and competition, we must understand the historical environment and social status of Kong Yiji. "Kong Yiji" is Lu Xun's second vernacular novel on the eve of the May Fourth Movement, after "Diary of a Madman". The novel depicts Kong Yiji's tragic image of being mentally pedantic and insensitive under the poison of feudal decadent ideology and the imperial examination system, industrious and impoverished in life, spending time in people's ridicule and ridicule, and finally being devoured by feudal society. Kong Yiji is a reader, and although he knows that there are four ways to write the word "fennel" for fennel beans, this ability neither allowed him to enter the junior high school to become an officer, nor did he find a suitable career to earn money, and of course, he was unable to help him find a wife. He had to make a meagre income by selling calligraphy and paintings, and indulged in alcohol and classical culture for comfort and self-respect. He is powerless in real-life situations and can only live by self-deception and self-torture.

Secondly, in this era of parallel pluralism and development, we need to analyze the similarities and differences between contemporary young people and Kong Yiji.

The similarity is that today's young people are also challenged by social change and the employment dilemma. With the popularization of higher education and market competition, the number of graduates continues to climb while the growth of jobs is slow. According to statistics, the scale of graduates of ordinary colleges and universities nationwide in 2023 is expected to reach 11.58 million, an increase of 820,000 year-on-year. Many young people find that their majors do not match or are excessive, and they encounter problems such as high thresholds, low salaries, and little room for development when looking for jobs. Some young people even fall into negative labels such as "gnawing at the elderly", "low-end population", "996" and so on. All these make young people feel anxious, depressed, helpless, lost and other emotions, and lack confidence and hope for the future.

The difference is that today's young people are not completely disconnected from society or have given up on struggle. Instead, they have their own values and ideals, their own interests and hobbies, their own voices and actions. Through social networks, film and television dramas, short video platforms, real life and other channels, they obtain information, express opinions, participate in discussions, and initiate advocacy. They pay attention to hot social topics, such as common prosperity, trafficking in women and children, environmental protection, etc., and actively participate in social welfare undertakings, such as poverty alleviation and education assistance, volunteer services, and donations of materials. They are not satisfied with passively adapting to society, but actively creating society.

It can be seen that contemporary young people are not Kong Yiji, in fact, they are just dissolving their employment pressure and survival pressure through this kind of online banter with Kong Yiji, which is also a more positive aspect of contemporary young people's mentality.

Of course, long-term empathy with Kong Yiji is not a very decent thing, so the whole society can actively help contemporary young people get rid of Kong Yiji's dilemma and mentality from the following aspects:

The first is to reform the education system and employment mechanism to improve the quality of education and employment efficiency.

Education should foster young people's ability to innovate and think critically, rather than simply instilling knowledge and skills. Employment should provide more choices and opportunities based on young people's interests and strengths, rather than simply allocating jobs based on academic qualifications and experience.

The second is to strengthen the social security and welfare system to reduce the survival pressure and development obstacles of young people.

Society should provide basic medical insurance, housing subsidies, pensions and other benefits for young people, and establish a reasonable tax system and income distribution system to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor and promote social fairness and justice.

The third is to create a good cultural atmosphere and value orientation, and enhance young people's self-confidence and sense of belonging.

Culture should respect the individuality and diversity of young people and encourage them to pursue self-actualization and well-being. Values should guide young people to establish a correct world view, outlook on life and values, and inspire young people's love and sense of responsibility for the motherland, nation and culture. Only in this way can young people get rid of the dilemma and mentality of Kong Yiji and become the masters and builders of society.

Young people are the sun at eight or nine o'clock, they should shine, they should not be ignored or belittled, but should be understood and supported. The whole society should proceed from the aspects of education, employment, social security and cultural values, and create a better development environment and conditions for them, so that they can give full play to their potential and role and contribute to social progress and national rejuvenation. In this process, young people also need to continuously improve their quality and ability, continue to actively participate in the society, make their own contributions to the society, and prove their value and realize their ideals with their own actions.

Finally, let us summon up the courage to get rid of Kong's dilemma and mentality, and forge ahead to usher in a brighter future. Let us use our own actions to write a wonderful chapter that belongs to our young generation!