1:45am Frontline: Young and Restless in China

Young and Restless in China

opportunity in china. potential.

software outsourcing.

high rises = symbol of growth

"returning turtles" = chinese coming back from abroad

changing jobs, cities, lifestyles like nothing.

"working every single day, spending my savings, dripping my blood; feels like riding a roller coaster"

internet cafes

countdown to 2008 olympic games.

migrant workers looking for work during olympic preparations.

regular wage = 40 cents/ hr (a way out of rural poverty)

family's poverty depresses, ashames.

between tradition and city life.

rapper: discrimination, money, social status; how come my life sucks?

identify with black people in america. dreams of having food and a big house.


public interest lawyer: 1.5 million residents forced to move for the olympics.

upheaval more humane. resentment by community.

vocal middle class. sacrifice your rights for national interest.

events in Tienanmen sq.

—how is what we're doing now going to affect how we live the rest of our lives?

health care: 400 miles to see a doctor.

his motto: cure sometimes, relief often, comfort always.

palliative care > save the family's resources instead of care.


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more than half of the population still in farming.

if there weren't farmers, what would we eat?
too tanned, doesn't look pretty.

women leave school to support brother's education.

human trafficking.

gossip in the village. kidnapped mother is a disgrace to the village. WTF?



all the village's marriages are arranged.

a couple of hours from meeting 'til being engaged.

—expectations of tradition and personal expectations. responsibility for yourself and impact on others.

the huge difference between "dreams" and "reality"

woman with an MBA; during interviews, how soon are you going to have a child?


—different stories makes it hard to keep track of what notes I'm taking.

being abroad, being sensitive to bribery and corruption.

western values to judge chinese companies.

helping or not helping. apathy from local officials.

fish have to live in water, if the water isnt' clean, you have to live with it.

afraid that it won't be a moral struggle.

not knowing where is home. what am I doing here?



balancing work and personal life.

—so it's all the same things we deal with? isn't it?

many girls only believe in money.

believe in love? nope, only money.

there is no right or wrong.

can't be successful if you don't have several lovers.

after being baptized, he no longer feels lonely.

—there's this weird voice over description of what's going on the screen.

life support for your old age.

—feels like I turned on the disability feature online, hence the voice-over.

doctors breed doctors.

mcdonald's is a luxury. a place for proposal.

"I love her more than I love myself."

months of discussion before bringing her mother home. why so long? what's there to ask?

kidnapped 18 years ago before reunited.


3:17am chapter 9 and on for another day. we'll call it, Tomorrow.

22:07am

pollution from smelting plants, pollutes the river, farmers can't farm.

no one will buy their crops. their well is polluted. they drink the polluted water.
ask for compensations.

and people die from cancer. and the world goes on.


the land of opportunity—china.

quotas: 600 pieces an hour. 6000 a day. 11 hour days. no weekends. no time to think.

—maybe that's what I need right now. time to think.

the happiness index.

not individual and society. can you afford the things you want to buy?

no believes. no role models. they're all materialistic.

a poor kid going into a candy store vs. a rich kid only getting what he wants.

socially responsible and create social benefits.

—who doesn't want to do that? if given the choice, we'd all like to help, but what's the sacrifice? how much work do i have to do in order to help?

22:37pm