Post-80s

The Post-1980 generation (Chinese language: 八零後) refers to mainland Chinese people who were born between 1980 to 1989 in Chinese cities. Members of the after-eighty generation may have Little Emperor Syndrome due to the PRC's one-child policy.

Etymology

In English this group is also sometimes called China's Generation Y after the use of the term in the book China’s Generation Y by Michael Stanat in 2005.^[1]

The name post-1980 generation is only used in Mainland China.

Simplified Chinese: 八零后世代 (short form: 八零后)

People born in other periods are also named in the same way in Mainland China.

The post-1990 generation (九零后) means people born between the year 1990 to 1999 in urban areas. They are usually concerted to brain-disabled characters and non-mainstream culture. The early part of this generation, at least, is often classed as a part of China's Generation Y along with 80s-born.

The pre-1960 generation (六零前) means people born before the year 1960.

It is a generation of approximately 240 million people born between 1980 and 1990, although characteristics of the after-eighty generation have also been seen in those born after 1990 but before 2000. Growing up in modern China, China’s this generation has been characterized by its optimism for the future, newfound excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship and acceptance of its historic role in transforming modern China into an economic superpower.

These teens are also distinguished by their increased access to the Internet, MP3 players, computers, and mobile phones. Generation Y teens in China often experience a palpable generation gap between them and their elders. Growing up under Mao, Gen Y’s parents experienced famine and political instability. Many lack an education because of the policies set forth under the Cultural Revolution. On the other hand, China’s Generation Y increasingly lives in an environment of tremendous economic growth and social change, high technology, and rigorous education requirements.

A clash between tradition and modern influences is noticeable in purchasing habits, career pursuits, and daily interaction between child and elders. Furthermore, young adults have been indirectly affected by forced government shutdowns of thousands of Internet cafes each year that prevent the excessive use of the Internet. Young people are also affected by China’s large socioeconomic divide between urban and rural residents and societal problems resulting from modernization. The conflict between Gen Y teenagers and China’s government has also contributed to the idea in the West holding that the communist government will collapse during their lifetimes.

Future

The post-1980 generation illuminates important questions not only about China’s future but also those of the United States and the global economy. Several factors that may influence the generation are individualism, consumerism, modernization, and technology.

Little emperors

Some parents over-indulge their only child. The media referred to the indulged children in one-child families as "little emperors." Since the 1990s, some people worry this will result in a higher tendency toward poor social communication and cooperation skills among the new generation, as they have no siblings at home. However, no social studies have investigated the ratio of these over-indulged children and to what extent they are indulged. With the first generation of one-child policy children (those born in the 1980s) reaching adulthood, such worries are reduced.

Dispute

Some after-seventy people think that the after-eighty people are depraved. However, with more and more after-eighty people devoting in the society, we can see more worthies among them are reported by medias. Especially after the Wenchuan earthquake happened in 2008, after-eighty volunteers who went to disaster area to help impressed many people and many people began to change their attitudes about the after-eighty generation.

Post-80s in Hong Kong

The term Post-80s (八十後) came into use in Hong Kong between 2009 and 2010, particularly during the course of the opposition to the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. It is suggested that although Post-80s in Hong Kong and the After-eighty generation in mainland China share some common characteristics, they are for the most part different. The Post-80s generation in Hong Kong has a high risk of clinical depression.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ Stanat, Michael (2005). China’s Generation Y: Understanding the Future Leaders of the World’s Next Superpower. New York City: Paramus: Homa & Sekey. SIS International Research. ISBN 1-931907-25-0.

[1] Stanat, Michael (2005). China’s Generation Y: Understanding the Future Leaders of the World’s Next Superpower. New York City: Paramus: Homa & Sekey. SIS International Research. ISBN 1-931907-25-0.

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