How much love can be reckless?

Author: Chen Tong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-05-01
Features:
Fragment: There's an old Chinese saying, "The son of a dragon is a dragon, the son of a phoenix is a phoenix, and the son of a mouse will dig holes." So who are the "petit bourgeoisie"? They are those office who love Wong Kar-wai's movies, wear Parka suits, and casually enjoy afternoon tea. They read fashion magazines to improve their literary, use cosmetics like Lanc?me or Shiseido to display elegance, and show off their refined tastes. In China, a generation of "petit bourgeoisie" is thriving and has begun to align with international trends, giving rise to upgraded versions of "cool" and "alternative." Compared to traditional petit bourgeoisie, "cool" and "alternative" are more distinct. They either don't speak at all, or if they do, it's just "SHIT" or "TMD." They don't watch mainstream movies; instead, they prefer art-house films, which are hours-long silent movies. They also dislike mainstream music; they are into rap, a rhythmic form of spoken word that's popular in urban clubs and rock bars. Men often have lady-like hairstyles and wear patterned shirts, while women come in all shapes and sizes—essentially, anyone who gives an immediate strong impression is welcome. Who are their children? I'm sure they're not the descendants of Princess Diana, who gave birth to Prince William—royalty! And they're definitely not the children of Li Ka-shing, whose son, Li Zhaokai, is a famous "superman" bachelor. In my impression, countries like the U.S., South Korea, Japan, and some European nations are full of "petit bourgeoisie" besides the wealthy and the homeless. Why do I think so? Because I've heard that in those places, even those on welfare can afford cars, McDonald's, and Coca-Cola. So, in those countries, anyone who's an ordinary citizen might be a "petit bourgeoisie"—someone with "some assets, some free time, and often travels to Europe." If they get tired of being too petit bourgeoisie and it becomes boring, especially when everyone around is petit bourgeoisie and there's no sense of superiority, they start playing "cool" and "alternative." Anyway, it's hard to join the ranks of the wealthy, and it's not something that happens overnight! As for becoming nobles, the only reliable way besides dying and being reborn with a bribe to the underworld is to sell oneself for fame and create a Cinderella myth. The problem is that even to be a Cinderella, you need capital and opportunity, which is really tough for ordinary petit bourgeoisie. They're only fit for buying a plane ticket to Paris to visit the Louvre so they can later sit in Starbucks with a cappuccino and feel more in tune. Getting back to the point, where do China's "petit bourgeoisie" come from? If you think about it, they are all the children of the working class, their parents living in places like Beijing's courtyard housing or Shanghai's small rented rooms. If asked to describe their childhood, they usually portray themselves as the apple of their parents' eyes. But in reality, they embrace "petit bourgeoisie" culture because they dream of never going back to their childhood! Now that they finally have jobs, and their companies are even multinational, they are so proud! They are the generation that craves globalization. Their biggest dream is "the union of the world's petit bourgeoisie"—though we come from different backgrounds, have different identities, and are from all over the world, we are all petit bourgeoisie. We wear the same brands, use the same cosmetics, listen to the same CDs, watch the same movies, drink the same Coca-Cola, and sing the same songs. We live the same happy lives as the petit bourgeoisie in developed countries! Even though our fathers might be the likes of Zhang Damin, we have received higher education, and we are different! My dear brothers and sisters, I really don't want to tell you the truth—but you are just followers of fashion in developed countries. Remember what Lu Xun said? "The homeless lackeys of the bourgeoisie." Poor petit bourgeoisie of China, you're truly pitiful. You haven't even made it to the level of "big capitalists," at most, you're just "the lackeys of the lost petit bourgeoisie." Living in a tower, driving a Fukang, and carrying a few savings cards in your pockets doesn't make you very chic, charming, or international. Stop kidding yourself—look in the mirror! It's important to know your place.