Thirty years have passed like an arrow, and the giant wheel of society has slowly turned, bringing us back to that seemingly familiar but unfamiliar starting point. In this year's college entrance examination season, 13.42 million candidates poured into the examination room, of which 4.13 million were returning students.
Many of them will face the harsh reality that despite their hard work, they can become chaperones. In this fierce competition, traditional industries such as military academies, police academies, orientation normal students and medical students, as well as state-owned enterprises, have once again become popular choices. People are no longer only looking for high incomes, stability has become the new golden signboard.
Once, we dreamed of the glory of a manufacturing power, and looked forward to the overall prosperity of the whole industry chain to drive the economy. However, reality is always skinier than dreams. In the face of the commitment not to lay off employees at the age of 35, the establishment and state-owned enterprises are particularly dazzling. Nearly 11 million graduates flood the job market every year to compete for those limited jobs. The competition is fierce, and it speaks for itself.
Parents' anxiety is like a cold wind in winter, biting and persistent. They are heartbroken for their children's future, not only because other people's children work harder, but also because the investment in education has become a war without gunpowder. Parents in ordinary families save money that is not even enough to pay for a few months of tutoring. In such an environment, every family is fighting for their children's education and future, but the path seems to be getting narrower and narrower.
Looking back 30 years ago, life at that time was simple, but people's minds were more peaceful. Without the pressure of the college entrance examination like now, you can easily get employed and have a stable job in a technical school after graduating from junior high school. At that time, the society was not divided between each other, everyone was poor, but they were so poor that they were at ease. Children are free to choose to become "police uncles" or "worker uncles", and each profession can be respected and satisfied by society.
However, time flies and society changes. We now live in a world full of anxiety. Mortgage, medical insurance, children's education, employment, ...... These questions are like mountains, overwhelming people's breath. We are on the run for life every day, but we rarely have time to stop and think about our inner world.
This anxiety is not out of nowhere, it is a product of social development. With the rapid development of the economy, people's living standards have improved, but at the same time, social competition has become more intense. The uneven distribution of educational resources has led to a widening gap in education investment between families. Those families who can afford the high tutoring fees often have children who are able to do better in the college entrance examination, thus gaining more social resources. And those children from ordinary families, even if they work the same hard, may lose the opportunity to compete on a level playing field due to lack of resources.
This anxiety is also reflected in the quest for stability. Over the past few decades, China has undergone tremendous changes. Many people are flocking from the countryside to the cities in search of better opportunities for development. However, as economic growth slows, the job market is becoming increasingly saturated. Many young people find that even with a high degree of education, they may not always be able to find a satisfying job. Therefore, stability has become a new pursuit. State-owned enterprises and civil servant positions have become popular in the eyes of many people because of their relatively stable working environment and benefits.
This desire for stability is actually a reflection of people's uncertainty and fear of the future. In a rapidly changing society, stability has become a scarce resource. People are afraid of losing their jobs, of not being able to take on the responsibilities of their families, of having an unsecured future for their children. As a result, they would rather give up high-paying job opportunities in pursuit of a stable income.
However, this quest for stability has not come without a price. It may lead to the weakening of the innovation vitality of society and the suppression of young people's entrepreneurial passion. When most people choose to live a secure life, those who dare to take risks and innovate may be overlooked. Diversity and inclusion in society may also be affected as a result.
In the face of such a reality, we need to reflect. The development of society should not only be the growth of economic figures, but also the improvement of people's quality of life. The balanced distribution of educational resources, the fair creation of employment opportunities, and the improvement of the social security system are the keys to alleviating social anxiety and promoting the harmonious development of society. Only when everyone can feel the warmth and care of the society can we truly achieve all-round progress in society.
In this college entrance examination season, let us not forget the lessons of the past, cherish the efforts of the present, and look forward to the hope of the future. May every candidate find their own path, and may every family be able to alleviate anxiety and welcome a better tomorrow together.