ISSN 1392-0561. INFORMACIJOS MOKSLAI. 2008 45 Chinese changing identities in globalised world Robert Paul Smith (Xu, Ke Shu) Foreign Language Dep. Quzhou College Jiuhualu Str. 78, Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province People’s Republic of China Ph. 0086-570-869 24 19, Mob. Ph. 0086-135 114 00 648 E-mail: [email protected] The cultural map is changing in the globalised world. The �uickly developing economy changes the iden- tities of Chinese �uietly. Typically, the young generation is more individualistic, the traditional kinship weakens, and the ideology on love, sex and marriage changes. Because of Chinese birth control policy, the children and young people who grow up as the only child in her or his family respect individualism more than collectivism influenced by movies of Hollywood and Western TV soap plays. What they think most is in terms of “I”, not “you” or “they”. Kinship in China is now much weaker in Mainland China than it was in the past. In fact, there are many empty-nest families, in which children have left home to seek success in metropolis in China and cities in Foreign Countries, and their old, sick parents are suffering in loneliness. In the Chinese countryside, a lot of young couples refuse to support their old parents. Some old parents are even driven out and suffer from hunger. Now in China, DINK marriages and sexless mar- riages are common in the cities. More than 400,000 Chinese people have married foreigners till 2006. In 2005, more than 70,000 Japanese men and 41,000 Korean men have married Chinese women. Rich men change girlfriends or sex partners fre�uently. Some even keep special, private houses where their girlfriends live apart from their wives. Thousands of workers, drawn from farms to jobs in the cities, are sexually hungry and visit illegal striptease shows fre�uently. The new generation of Chinese people does not even value virginity very highly. There are too many �uick marriages in China now. This was especial- ly true in the lucky wedding year of 2006. Some married �uickly and divorced very soon. Key words: change, identities, individualization, kinship, love Introduction climate, running-out oil and other natural resources, children and young people’s Seeing from the space, our planet Earth is addiction to computer games, polluti- unique. In the universe, we, human beings are unique. As we know, the advanced on and terrorism attacking. The world is technology in the 21st century has shorte- globalized, which is not controlled by our ned the time of travel from one country will. In the globalization, people on the to another and turned the earth into a glo- earth have developed into two directions; bal village, which was first mentioned by one group is to change, adapt themselves the Canadian scholar Marshall McLuhan. to it and try to live better in it, while the The technology not only does it, but also other group of people is against globaliza- makes human beings to recognize that we tion, refuses to change and even turn into are facing the same challenges: warmer extremist opposition to other cultures. The 122 cultural map is changing in the globalized retreat to the cover of their families and world. rely on their parents. They have become a In the globalization and with the help of NEET generation – which means jobless the Internet, identities are changing quietly youth between 15 and 34. Among them, in many cultures. With the rapidly develo- there is a large group of young people who ping economy, it also happens in Chinese have graduated from college but refuse to culture. What is typical is the individuali- work or accept any job training (it stands zation of young generation, weakening of for Not in Education, Employment, or traditional kinship, and changing ideology Training). on love, sex and marriage. Of course, there are also quite a lot of Research aims: To find changing iden- people who take job-training classes but tities in chinese culture in the globalizati- still cannot find jobs. But they live in luxu- on. ry, and Chinese parents tend to take on the Research objectives: to identify the burden of taking care of them quietly, ac- facts and statistics of new papers and other cording to the Chinese tradition. They are media resources for a reliable data on the called the Strawberry Generation, a term changing identities. coined by a Taiwanese journalist and pop- Research methods: critical or discour- ular in China. Strawberries start out good sive analysis. but go rotten easily1. People of the Strawberry Generation in Individualization Mainland China are headaches for human The new selfish group – resource managers. They quit jobs too easi- the generation of strawberry ly, and they are irresponsible. It is hard for of NEET them to be thoughtful and cooperate with others. They are only about themselves. Because of Chinese birth control policy, The most strawberries have been children and young people respect indivi- brought up in large cities such as Shanghai dualism more than collectivism, influen- and Beijing. There are rarely strawberries ced by movies of Hollywood and Western in small cities, especially in western China TV soap plays. What they think most is in or in the rural area. terms of “I”, not “you” or “they”. But most Americans value individualism and are Serious competition and responsible to society, while a lot of Chi- moving people nese new individualists are irresponsible The development of marketing and the to it. They are strict with others and think bankruptcy of many businesses have for- others should be nice with moral standards ced people to move to new cities for their of society while they allow themselves the jobs. Many retired people follow their sons disrespect these standards. They will fight with others for small interest and give up 1 easily. When facing difficulties, they will http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ar- chives/2005/09/12/2003271331 123 and daughters to the different cities. They Friendship was very stable in the past make new friends in the new cities. It is as a tradition. It was common for people to hard for them to keep the original ties with keep it in their life. But it is now also so- their old friends. Robert Smith’s father-in- mething changing in China. Some people law retired from his job in Wuhan and went can afford cars while their friends cannot. to live with his daughter and son-in-law in If they are accustomed to enjoy tourism Quzhou, Zhejiang Province in China. When by group driving, they should choose new the father-in-law came to the new city, he friends. As enthusiasts people would spend had nobody to gamble with. He happened much longer with their new friends than to meet several elderly and middle-aged their old friends. After some time, the old ladies and gentlemen in a public park whe- friends will be distant. Something similar re they unusually get together to sing and happens with fans of horseback riding, ar- dance because of his singing. They soon chery, skiing, and camping. became good friends. They gather together Some old customs still remain. Many to sing and dance, and they usually have people still do business, handle adminis- parties. The father-in-law is busy with the trative things and settle struggles and qu- activities instead of gambling. He told Ro- arrels according to relationships and not bert that he had almost forgotten his old universal rules. Many people still prefer friends who only knew how to gamble, the company of people or students they and he valued the new friendships much are familiar with to strangers. Yet compe- more. Modernization can also be positive, tition in the society is forcing everyone to as the changes brought about by moder- change if they want their businesses to re- nization previously mentioned have been main profitable or to keep their positions negative ones. in administrative offices. The things that have changed and are changing in Chinese The various choices of society are changing Chinese culture and the information age are being recorded in the history of China The information age has provided people Changes in productivity should cer- with many choices. People, especially tainly cause production relationships to young people, have developed new cul- change. This will certainly change inter- tural tastes. Korean TV shows, Japanese personal relationships and cause society to cartoons, Starbucks, American pop music, change. China is running quickly toward fast food, and computer games provide a new, modernized, informational society. Chinese young people many new forms of Some old culture is going away, and some entertainment. People organize new circles new culture is being produced. That does of friends. It is now popular in Beijing for not mean that the old is bad and the new people to get together organize through the is good. Internet to eat out together. After eating The old customs of kinship and collec- and saying goodbye, they become stran- tivism are losing out to temporary friends- gers again. hips and individualism. 124 Traditional kinship in China A daughter-in-law in a village in Hebei Province cursed her mother-in-law and Kinship was ever the most important part pulled her hair as they walked around the of Chinese culture in Chinese thousands village. Although Chinese identities on kin- of history. Kinship in China is now much weaker in Mainland China than it was in ship are changing among some people, there the past. In fact, there are a lot of empty- are still many who are kind to their parents.