‘NEET’: Dope off in Dream
By Liu Jing, Guest Reporter
How do we define adulthood? Is it economic independence, psychological maturity or objectivity? In the case of most of minors, they yearn to gain more freedom and detest restrictions, meaning that they want to become an adult more quickly. However, there is a group of young people who have obtained the freedom that they expected still, but could not survive without their parents. We named those people ‘NEET’!
The NEET group can be divided three different classes. The first group is social parasites who loaf all day and do nothing to survive. The second group includes people who lack practical skills. There are only a few people have a diploma from a university in the NEET group, but most of them do not have any skills to be able to compete in the employment market. They not only live off their parents, but also use their parents’ money to buy name brand items to show off their riches, further causing their parents’ excessive burden.
The third group is those people who live in fantasy. In recent years, more and more Chinese prefer to study abroad because they think it is a good way to get a highly respected job, but it is not always the case. I have a friend who graduated from a college in New Zealand. Yet, when she came back to her hometown to find a job, many troubles seemed to follow. She thought she could work in a high position, but every company refused her application because of her lack of work experience.
However, she is unwilling to work in basic jobs, so until now she still stays at home and spends her parents’ money. Moreover, some of the people in this group detest working for other people, as they dreamed of operating their own company, but all these dreams ended in failure. Why? The young tend to live in a world of fantasy. They wish to have a magnificent future but usually are irresponsible.
How can one cease to be an idealist and become a realist? I think it is the first class which has to be learned in life. Sometimes, I think back to those examples of NEET, there must be some external factors why people have become NEET. The most important factor that I think is education. Chinese parents have to change their educational techniques. Since the 1980s, the Chinese government has carried out a one child per family policy where Chinese parents have come into spoiling their only child even worse than before.
They try to give their child everything he or she asks for. When a school teacher disciplines a student, the parents will come to the school to complain about it, however, the result will not be as good as they expect. Why not give children some chances to do things themselves, although everything is hard in the beginning. They can grow up by learning about difficulties. They can learn to overcome difficulties earlier and do more to achieve their dream. Always tell yourself, I can do it and be honest to yourself. Make clear what your goals really are. At that time, you will see that you can live better without parents’ protection.
Living without an aim is like sailing without a compass. Always ask yourself, who am I? What can I do then you can find the lighthouse which is winking for you! In the end, I also hope our government can create more opportunities for those young people who without goals. The trust which comes from society can help those people who are finding themselves to achieve their self-worth. It is time to wake up NEET from dreams and tell them: I do not believe in equality of capacity, but I do believe in equality of opportunity!