“Ant tribe”, Just around us
CONTEXT
1.Introduction ....................................................................................... 3 2.Background ....................................................................................... 3
2.1 The originatian of the name ....................................................... 3
2.2 Who are the “ant tribe” ............................................................ 4 3.The living condition of “ant tribe” ..................................................... 5
3.1 Life and hobby .......................................................................... 5
3.2 Job and income .......................................................................... 5
3.3 Love and marriage ..................................................................... 6
3.4 Psychologic status ..................................................................... 6 4.The effect of “ant tribe” ..................................................................... 7
4.1 The origination of the problem .................................................. 7
4.1.1 Appeal of large city ........................................................... 8
4.1.2 Failure of college teaching pattern..................................... 8
1.4.3 Increase of college graduates ............................................. 9
1.4.4 Independent and free feeling ............................................. 9
4.2 Effection and developing trend .................................................. 9
5. My consideration of the phenomenon ............................................. 10
5.1 My concern about “ant tribe” .................................................. 10
5.2 My suggestion on the issue ...................................................... 11 6.Appendix ......................................................................................... 12
1.Introduction
The number of graduates, aged 22 to 29, has been growing since China
greatly expanded its university enrollment over the past decade , causing a group
of youngs called“ant tribe”. They could only find low-salary jobs or even coundn’t
win a work after graduating from universities . Their lives are hard and their
careers are not promising. They live in the rurbania with the avarage salary of 2000 yuan. The prospect of landing a higher-paying job keeps them hopeful of working , but it is not easy for them to achieve their dreams. The origin to the issue is complex and the influence is great. Therefore, we should attach more importance on the settlement of the issue.
2.Background
2.1 The originatian of the name
First of all , “ant tribe” are bright and have received high education . It’s similar to the ants ,which have high intelligency with more t
han 250 thousand brain cells , ranking top one in all species of insect .
Besides , they live together , just like ants. Although they are weak , they could have a great influence to the socity if they hold together .
What’s more , their merits should not be forgetten: they work hard but get little ; they hope for tomorrow ; they are toward their prospect and they never say “die” .
Lastly , even though they have received college education, they are not able to find a stable job and have to reside in cramped, low-end communities, leading a life similar to the tiny, clever and laborious ant.
In a word , this is a group that has been forgotten by society , despite the fact the they are the ones who need the most care .
2.2 Who are the “ant tribe”
The number of graduates, aged 22 to 29, has been growing since China greatly expanded its university enrollment over the past decade. According to the Ministry of Education's statistics, the number of college graduates has jumped from 1.07 million in 2000 to 6.11 million in 2009 . Among them there are many young migrants . They rush to large cities in hope of a better life ,only to find low-paid jobs and poor living conditions. There are more than 100,000 young graduates in Beijing who fall into this category , so is the other large cities .
They were born in the 1980s and now live in large cities . About 85 percent of them are from other areas, particularly the countryside, and many started their college life in 1999, when Chinese universities increased their enrollment numbers.
More than 80 percent of them have a job, and their average salary is around 2,200 yuan ($320) a month. Therefore , their daily expense is relatively low . For instance, their average monthly rent is only 377 yuan, while most spend about 530 yuan on food. It seems hard for them to settle down because they frequently change jobs.
More than 90 percent of them are unmarried, half of them are in love and half are single. They live on the Internet . They meet friends, play games, read news and learn things online.Most of the "ant tribe" are from poor rural families and take temporary and low-paid jobs like insurance agents, electronic products sales representatives and waiters, and some are unemployed .
What a pity ! They have big dreams and ambitious plans , but have slim chance to realize them .
3.The living condition of “ant tribe”
3.1 Life and hobby
Many of them moved to large city right after graduation from college . With the salary
of 2000 , their life is so hard that they have no money to save . Owing to the soaring housing prices and rents , they have no other choice but to live in the rurbania . Cheap accommodation means a long and crowded journey to work . For example , Tangjialing , a village in Beijing outside the North Fifth Ring Road where 60000 college graduates live . As only six bus routes link Tangjialing to downtown Beijing, a workday begins by pushing themselves into a crowed bus .
They could averagely earn about 2,000 yuan per month. But It costs about 300 yuan a month each for rent , about 500 yuan each for food and 200 yuan for transportation. They don't go out much because they are so worried about money . A girl being to the group pours out her heart that there are so many small clothes shops and record stores around them, but she try to not visit them - just in case
she would like to spend money .Most of them spend their off-work time on surfing the Internet or playing computer games , I think it’s because this is a way
which doesn’t need too much money. They meet friends, play games, read news and learn things all online.
3.2 Job and income
"Ant tribe" members are usually temporarily employed by small companies at an average monthly salary of 2,000 yuan , mainly engaged in the insurance marketing, electronic equipment sales, advertising sales, catering services and so on .
It’s not easy to find a good job in large city nowadays , especially for them , who are graduated from some second-rate universities . Many of them always change works , partly due to that their boss suddenly stopping the program they are working on . Determined to achieve their urban dreams, the "ants" switch jobs twice a year on average for better pay and personal development . A great part of them haven’t signed contracts with their boss , because their boss don’t want to spent more money on the salary and insurance of workers.
I am so distressed when I hear that .Their future isn’t promising ,but the prospect of landing a higher-paying job keeps them hopeful of moving out of the “ant home”. Just as spring will inevitably bring color and renewal, their dreams await a more bright climate . Wishes for them !
3.3 Love and marriage
Marriage does not seem to be an option for the "ant tribe". As the research written by LianSi says, about 93 percent of whom remain single , 51 percent of them have girlfriend or boyfriend while 23 percent of them chose the way to live together with their lover . Only one third have sex experience in the recent month , much less than the average frequency of adults .
We are all young people .I know they hope for love , but with so low salary , how could they dare to pursue a girl . They dream of marriage , but the soaring housing price shatter their dreams . They work hard all the year round , only to find they have no money surplus . For this struggling migrant graduates, the pursuit of urban dream is the only way to a better life for them back home . 3.4 Psychologic status
In their 20s , they have come to large city to pursue their dreams. They are called "ant tribe" by Lian Si, who has written a book with the same name based on his interviews of these people to describe the struggles of young migrants, who, armed with their diplomas, scramble to big cities in hope of a better life only to find a low-paying jobs and poor living conditions.
They regard city as a place filled with opportunities . They hunt for suitable works , but after the interviews, they found the bosses were the same as the one they are working for, who can fire you anytime .
It is hard to say if they can stay in large city for good, but if they go back home, their parents would be disappointed at them because they think their son or daughter should be capable of living where they study .
Someones are optimistic toward tomorrow . Their goals for th
e next year is to make enough money to move out of "ant home" and to be able to rent an apartment for themselves . However , the others gradually become anxious and frustrated in the face of their dim prospects for advancement and the sky-rocketing housing and living costs in large cities. They believe they and their colleagues would eventually be sent back home and they couldn’t really see a future working there.
4.The effect of “ant tribe”
4.1 The origination of the problem
There are many reasons attributing to this issue . It not only results from the serious employment situation , but also has some connection with household register system in China . On one hand , it’s in relation to the personality of the
graduate thems
elves .On the other hand , it reflects the common problem the floating population are all faced with .
In my opinion , four main facts should be taken account of for the origination of the “ant tribe” :
4.1.1 Appeal of large city
College graduates, with hopes for a better quality of life, rush to large cities like Beijing and Shanghai because of the great rural-urban and rich-poor gap in China . In the opinion of Lewisy Mumford, large city is like a magnet , which attracts thousands of talents to realize their dream there . Especially with the sustainable development of the economy , the stand of living and the possibility
for career success in large cities is much higher than that in other areas . So the graduates are more willing to work in large cities. Even with low salary ,they encourage themselves that they will succeed after years of hard work eventually. But as outcomers they have little access to the social resources and the chance for upward mobility is slim, due to their lack of good social connections . So they are reduced to throw themselves into low-paid jobs , to reside in the rural-urban fringe zone and to join the group of “ant tribe”.
4.1.2 Failure of college teaching pattern
Their weak standing in the job market should be partially attributed to the stiff and impractical college teaching pattern that fails to adjust itself to the labor market demand . Schools should provide more job training and encourage students to do innovative things before graduation , not only to recite the rigid formula and theory . Too many students are trained for the job like business administration、international trade、information techonology and so on in some
second-rate universities.In fact, It’s not suitable. As a view point of mine, it’s easy to pass the course in the college , and with no pressure given by teachers and parents , some students are likely to waste the precious time by puttering aimlessly . So the stiff and impractical college teaching pattern and the negative attitude towards study couldn’t train and produce large numbers of qualified personnel for the modern society .
1.4.3 Increase of college graduates
600
500
400
300系列1
200
100
0
1990
1992
The number of graduates continues to increase from 1999 , when 1994
1996universities expand enrollment . From the graph , we can see the number before
19982003 is stable and below one million , then increases at a great speed. In 2009 , 2000
the number of the graduates is 8 times of that in 1999 .With so many graduates , 2002
2004the competition in labor market becomes increasing fierce . With more choices ,
2006company could hire employee with lower salary . That’s the reason why the 2008
salarys of the “ant tribe ” are droping while the commodity prices are increasing .
1.4.4 Independent and free feeling
Many young men choose to stay in large city , because of their aspiration for independent and free life . The sense of indentity giving by the community brings them happy and confindence . The neighbour or the roommates is always their friend and classmates . They have formed their own circles of friends . What’
more , They prefer to stay in large city , rather than come back home without sucessful career , not living up to their parents’expectations.
4.2 Effection and developing trend
Tn my submission, they are a group with hope and good expectations, they received high education, they are full of wisdom, brave, optimistic, cheerful , and willing to face the challenges . In particular, they struggle to achieve their own ideals, rarely complaining . They know that the University lives are over but the door of the society has not fully opened .This is a difficult transition, but also a
necessary stage. Many of the "ant tribe" express that the surface of their lives looks bitter, but in fact it is the necessary process any victor has to live through .They work so hard in order to stay in large city, but sometimes the opportunities are not there for them. They are maybe the most ambitious group but I could see the deep inferiority in their hearts. The thing I worry about most is what will happen once their dreams are shattered .
Fortunately , the report written by LianSi has received energetic concern and support from the public . BeiJing government has carried out a research and set about legislating law for them . The rebuilding in Tangjialing is under way and the government plans to build “cheap renting house” for the youngs ……
5. My consideration of the phenomenon
5.1 My concern about “ant tribe”
"Ant tribe" groups emerged from the university enrollment in late 1990s , which promotes the industrialization of education. Since then . College graduate employment issue has been one of the most important tasks for government . The "ant tribe" phenomenon sounds the alarm for college students and universities . For this reason, the education sector shouldn’t just focus on the employment
figures .We should see the real living conditions of graduates and their desires to change the education system rather than the graduates number .
Of course, the same things can not be ignored are the numberous social tragedy under the pressure of employment. For example: housing, education, love, marriage ... ... Maybe more people still say that the generation borned in