Your Classmates - Chinese Graduates – Shifting Perspectives

By Steve J. KulichThe Intercultural Institute

Shanghai International Studies University

Our views of Chinese culture – still based on the 50s to 80s?

Even “mass culture” is changing…

Chinese Culture in Flux

Communistvalues

Communistvalues

Emergingvalues

Emergingvalues

Traditional values

Traditional values

Hierarchy等级森严Family orientation

Societal order

Relationships

Harmony

Seniority

Face saving Less hierarchical

Individualist-Materialist

Hero: Entrepreneur

Current oriented

More direct communication

Egalitarianism

Country orientation

Party Centrality

Class background

Sacrifice

and have moved from “The Way We Were…”

to “What We Are (Becoming)”

• “Single Child” individualism

• Hollywood “heroism”

• Material consumerism

• Entrepreneurial opportunism

• Personal achievement, advancement, wealth

How do we perceive youth now?

These “single children” grew up in the 90s

New Lifestyles, New Issues, New Variety

• Kids from much more wealth, media oriented, tech, self-oriented backgrounds

The Influences on and Interests of this Generation• NBA (Yao), Competitors – Liu Xiang

Sports new to China: the F1, Tennis - Roger Federer,

• English via DVD Series: Friends, Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives, Prison Break, Lost…

• Online computer games, QQ [Chat]… • MAKING MONEY!!!• getting their driver’s license• fashion, sex, freedom …

Conflicting Keywords

• “Cool”, “Fun,” “Be Responsible”

Q & A

• Comments or Questions?