In the face of increasing social competition and the rising cost of living, the financial pressure on the younger generation is becoming heavier. Bai Yansong's recent views have triggered an in-depth reflection on the phenomenon of "gnawing at the elderly", pointing out that young people should not simply be criticized for "gnawing at the old", but should reduce the burden on them from the family and social levels. The purpose of this article is to analyse the economic challenges faced by the younger generation, the social perceptions behind the label of "gnawing at the old", and to discuss how to support young people through policies and social measures.
Observe the economic environment faced by the younger generation. With housing prices, education costs, and daily expenses increasing, many young people struggle to become financially independent even when they work full-time. Especially in large cities, high mortgages or rents are a major burden for young people, not including the growing cost of living and the cost of educating their children. In addition, competition in the job market has intensified, many industries are saturated, and young people face higher barriers to entry and more intense competition when looking for jobs.
Then, with regard to the social label of "gnawing at the elderly", it often implies a negative evaluation of the lack of independence of young people. However, this concept ignores the influence of socioeconomic background and family environment. In a situation of great economic pressure, it is difficult for young people to solve all problems completely on their own. Therefore, "gnawing on the old" should not be regarded as a problem of personal quality, but should be treated as a manifestation of social structural problems.
In response to these problems, policy-level reforms are particularly important. ** Housing pressure on young people can be alleviated by providing preferential housing policies, such as public rental housing, housing subsidies, etc. In terms of education, we can promote a more equitable allocation of educational resources and reduce the pressure on family education investment. At the same time, enterprises are encouraged to improve the training and promotion opportunities for young people to enhance their career competitiveness.
Social support is also indispensable. In addition to financial assistance for families, social organizations and charities can provide career guidance, psychological counseling and other services to young people to help them better adapt to social and workplace challenges. In addition, creating a more inclusive social climate that encourages young people to start businesses and innovate, while providing a certain safety net for possible failures, is also an effective way to alleviate the economic pressure on the younger generation.
In the face of the economic pressure of the younger generation, we need to re-examine the phenomenon of "gnawing at the old" from a social and economic perspective. By implementing sound policy reforms and providing social support, we can not only help reduce the burden on young people, but also promote social harmony and progress. In the end, it is the shared responsibility of society to enable every young person to grow up in a fair and dignified environment and realize their self-worth, and it is also a hopeful expectation for the future.