The Face-down Generation (一代)
If you were born in the 2000s, you are called the oh-ohs. That would make you young, creative, connected, world-wide, and no doubt smart. Maybe good-looking, too. Right? But what do other people think about your generation?
Some adults worry that you're more interested in the screen in front of you than the world around you. They think of you as the "face-down generation" because you use your phone so much. They wonder how you will deal with school, friends, and family.
Other adults worry that today's youths are spoilt (溺爱) and don't want to face the challenges of adult life. Many children born in the 1990s and 2000s were raised by "helicopter (直升机) parents". They were always there to guide and help their children with a busy program filled with homework and after-school activities such as dancing, drawing, or sports. With parents who do everything for them, today's youths seem to prefer to live like teenagers even when they are in their 20s or 30s.
Does the face-down generation need a heads-up? Well, probably not. The fact is that many of today's teenagers are better educated and more creative than the past generations. They seem to be willing to become leaders. More young people than ever volunteer to help their communities.
There are also brave young people such as Malala Yousafzai, the teenager who won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for pushing girls' rights to go to school.
So if you're one of the oh-ohs, there's a reason to be hopeful about the future. Things are looking up for the face-down generation. Chances are that you do great and laugh out loud.