The Post-90s

By Haiyue Liu

According to Lara Farrar’s article, How Will China’s Tech-savvy, Post-90s Generation Shape the Nation? individuals born in China after 1990 (the “Post-90s”) have been labeled as generally “lazy, promiscuous, confused, selfish, brain-damaged and overall hopeless.” The viewpoint is that this new Chinese generation knows only pleasure and has no ambition. “‘They have only known a life in China that is rising and affluent,’ Frank Yu, a Beijing-based Internet analyst, said.”

English

Some people equate the Post-90s with the “Net Generation,” because they are closely related to the development of the Internet. The older generations allege them to have poor employment prospects. But can the Net Generation be completely synonymous with the Post-90s? Definitely not. Online entertainment, such as games, videos, shopping, etc., does not define their lives. Don Tapscott, author of Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World, believes that the Post-90s generation is “much more entrepreneurial than their elders.” They are the rising generation who are helping to make the country a success.

The Post-90s is the generation with passion. Sun Yang, “a Chinese Olympic and world-record-holding distance swimmer, was born in 1991. He won the 400m and 1500m freestyle at the 2012 Summer Olympics, becoming the first Chinese man ever to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming” (Wikipedia). Ye Shiwen, a female swimmer from Hangzhou, “won gold medals in the 400m and 200m individual medley, setting the world record in the 400m event and the Olympic record in the 200m event at the 2012 Summer Olympics” (Wikipedia); and she was born in 1996. Both of them are the most elite among the Post-90s. The Post-90s are also choosing professions in the medical/health industry and non-profit management.

The Post-90s is the generation with love. Xue Xiao, the optimistic “Coke Boy” who lost his right arm in the Wenchuan Earthquake, said to the rescuers, “Bring me a coke. A frozen one, please!” when the rescuers dug him out from the ruins. He showed to the world his love for life, his perseverance in ideals and his potential to prospects. He is a Post-90s, and he is now doing an internship in the Coca-Cola Company. The three courageous students of Yangtze University lost their lives when rescuing two drowning teenagers, showing their courage and their perfect spirits to the society. They are also Post-90s. All these young people represent the spirit of the Post-90s generation.

The Post-90s generation is not individuals but a large unity. Do you remember the enthusiastic and professional volunteers during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games? Can’t you see the aspiring youth around you, who are striving after their aspirations in the college library? Can’t you see the diligent students around you, who are studying hard to acquire knowledge and wisdom in the classroom? By their actions, the Post-90s rebuke the people who questioned them and are proving that they are a rising generation with extraordinarily immense potential.

Chinese

九零后——中国冉冉升起的一代
作者：刘海月

懒惰、混乱、疑惑、自私、脑残以及无可救药，似乎成为中国“90后”的标签。无论他们属于哪一种，有一件事可以确定，90后的孩子与他们的前辈必定不同：他们没有对混乱局面的回忆，而是成长在中国经济快速增长和全球化迅猛发展时期。

90后是完整伴随网络成长的第一代人。他们长期“寄居”在网络虚拟社会中，过着与老一辈完全不同的日子。中国青少年在网上的表达方式不尽相同。他们会逛开心网、人人网等社交网站；会利用微博做些评论；还会使用即时聊天工具QQ和QQ空间来展现当下的生活状态。在这些平台上，他们组建自己的“部落”或“群”，成百上千的人用“火星语”来交流——而“火星语”这种“脑残文体”也成为90后的标志。而因为网络的种种坏处，社会上也有评论九零后是衰退的一代。年长的一辈人一向不对九零后报以太大的希望。但是就凭这一点就彻底的否定九零后么？答案是否定的。那些网络娱乐并不是他们那生活的一部分。Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World的作者，Don Tapscott，相信九零后是具有创新精神的一代。他们是一个冉冉升起的一代。

九零后是充满激情的一代人。孙杨，一个保持奥林匹克和世界记录的中国拥有运动员，就是九零后。他在2012年的奥林匹克运动会上赢得了400米和1500米的冠军，并成为中国体坛第一位游泳奥运冠军。叶诗文，一个来自杭州的女孩，在2012年奥运会上赢得了女子400米和200米有用的个人冠军。她同样也是九零后。他们都是九零后的精英。

九零后是充满爱的一代。薛枭，这个经历过汶川地震的乐观的可乐男孩，在救援人员从废墟中救出他时他说：“叔叔，给我一瓶可乐，要冰镇的。”他向世界展示了他对生活的热爱和期待。他也是一位九零后，而且现在还在可口可乐公司实习。另外，三位来自长江大学的九零后学生为了救两名落水少年献出了自己宝贵的生命。他们向社会证明了九零后的无私精神。

九零后并不是独立的个体而是一个集合。你还记得2008年北京奥运会那些专业的热情的志愿者么？你还记得那些在图书馆熬夜学习的学生么？新生的力量不容睥睨，一个国家，一个民族，正是因为有着每一股新生力量，才会强大起来。九零后不是中国的悲哀，而是中国的骄傲。当鲁迅还是个孩子时，谁会想到一个迟到的孩子会成为中华民族的希望。正是如此，九零后是一个前途无量的群体，他们将会超越过去，成为中国繁荣富强的引导者。