Recently, a passage by Lu Ming, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, sparked a wide discussion. He said young people should not spend hundreds of thousands of dollars back to the countryside to build houses, because these houses are often left unused unless they plan to return to the countryside after retirement to continue farming. However, netizens ridiculed this view, believing that experts do not understand the actual situation in rural areas. In fact, although building a house may be unused, it is also a back road for many farmers. They want to have their own house in the countryside to take care of their parents and reduce the cost of living. How should we look at this issue?
In recent years, building houses in rural areas has become a trend, especially after experiencing the impact of the epidemic. Many young people have taken out the savings of years of working in the city to build houses in the countryside. Despite the high cost of building houses, farmers are still keen to do so. There are several reasons for this.
First, farmers may not be able to afford a house in the city. In the countryside, it only takes two or three hundred thousand to build a house, while in the city, especially in the big city, it takes huge financial resources to buy a house. For young people with only a few hundred thousand dollars on hand, even if they can barely pay a down payment, their purchasing power is limited.
Secondly, building a house in the countryside is also more economical than buying a house in the city. In recent years, many people have moved to the city to buy houses, but many of them end up being idle. Even if you come back for a few days every year during the Spring Festival, these houses need to pay a strata fee. As a result, many people have identified the economic advantages of building houses in rural areas.
However, this view has also been controversial. Some netizens believe that idle does not mean that it will never be used. For many farmers, houses in the countryside are the last resort. They think that if they have a house in the countryside, it means that their roots are still here. Even if you don't live in it normally, you can let your parents live there, and you have a place to live when you are old. After all, it is impossible to work for a lifetime, and farmers do not have a pension, so the expenses and pressure in the city are relatively large. In rural areas, there are no property fees, and they can grow some vegetables and fruits to reduce the cost of living.
In response to the experts' views, netizens have expressed different opinions. Farmers do not want to leave their homes, but look forward to opportunities for development in rural areas. In rural areas, where income** is relatively small, and the income from operating traditional agriculture is limited, it is difficult to have the concept of retirement. For them, on the one hand, land use is inefficient and the income from cultivation is meager, but on the other hand, they also realize that having a house in the countryside can provide a sense of security and belonging. And for those young people who have been running around the city for many years, building a house in the countryside is also a return option.
Although building a house in the countryside may be idle, the lifestyle in the countryside is very different from in the city. The air in the countryside is clean and the environment is pleasant, especially for elderly parents, it is important to have a comfortable retirement living environment. For young people, the countryside also offers a more relaxed and liberal way of life.
Everyone has their own opinions and choices about whether to build a house in the countryside. In my opinion, this is a complex issue that needs to be measured according to individual circumstances and development plans. Although building a house in the countryside may be idle, for some farmers, it is a sense of security and a way back. For some young people who have worked hard in the city for many years, building a house in the countryside is also an expression of return and belonging.
In any case, we cannot deny that building houses in the countryside has become a trend and choice in the current social context. Farmers want to leave their roots in their hometowns while also providing a secure retirement environment for themselves and their families. And this choice is in line with their pursuit of quality of life and a sense of belonging.
At the end of the day, we should respect everyone's choice, whether it's building in the countryside or buying a house in the city. Whether it is idle or actually used, everyone has different definitions and expectations for their home. Both rural and urban areas have their own advantages and different ways of life, and everyone's right to choose should be respected.
Therefore, whether it is an expert opinion or a netizen argument, we should face it with a tolerant attitude and understand the choices and motivations behind each person. Only in this way can we build a more inclusive and understanding social environment where everyone can find a sense of belonging and happiness where they feel they are most suitable.