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It is not difficult for any culture or political system to perform better than post-war Europe and America. Deng Xiaoping found in the 70s that “Poverty is not Socialism”. Now we may find that laxity is not love. |
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My family life is predominantly Chinese, but we have not fully lived up to the Chinese parenting model so far. I am not inclined to criticize the superficiality of an ethic of shame in which “the only activities your children should be permitted to do are those in which they can eventually win a medal”. Our current challenge is how to make our children develop any meaningful activities at all. The easy way is to allow films, computer games and other kinds of informational drugs to take control. Any alternative to that will require tiger-like energy from the part of the parents. And the parents will have to resort to more or less coercive measures. How many parents can compete with professional entertainment producers on the grounds of inspiration alone? |
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