Ideals and Reality

My birthday is approaching again, and I’m another year older, one step closer to thirty. “At thirty, one stands” - time is becoming increasingly pressing.

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time alone at home, and with too much idle time on my hands, I’ve started to indulge in random thoughts. Looking around, I see people coming and going, relationships that were once close eventually becoming distant friends who haven’t been in touch for a long time, and others who have lost touch altogether. But this isn’t the most regrettable part - what’s most regrettable is that I’ve found our youthful ideals are being gradually eroded by reality, and we’re inevitably becoming the “worldly” people we once criticized.

Sometimes, I feel grateful to have studied abroad in the US - not because of the good environment, but because I don’t have to worry about the high housing prices back home. This year, China’s housing market has been booming, making it even more difficult for post-85 and post-90 generations who have just entered the workforce to afford a home. However, this isn’t what truly bothers me - what really worries me is the series of consequences brought about by high housing prices: people who own homes have become proud and complacent as beneficiaries, leading to a prevalence of anti-intellectualism. Meanwhile, knowledgeable and capable individuals are becoming increasingly disillusioned with their lives and are turning to extremes - this is a very dangerous sign.

Of course, similar things have happened in China before, but this time, I’ve truly felt the impact. From my family and WeChat friends, I’ve sensed this negative emotion for the first time, although it’s just a glimpse, it’s left me astonished.

I can understand why my fellow students feel helpless in the face of soaring housing prices. I can understand their struggles when faced with constantly rising housing prices and stagnant salaries, and the pressure from their families to get married and settle down. Their ideals are being crushed by the harsh reality of daily life, bit by bit.

In this superficial society, it seems that hardly anyone has stopped to think about what happiness truly means. Everyone assumes that happiness is being able to afford the down payment on a ridiculously expensive house, having a “snail shell” to call one’s own in a big city. However, even with a comfortable home, life remains the same - the daily struggles, the monthly grind, and the constant debt repayment. I have to admit, reality can change us, and it’s happening subtly, bit by bit. If our previous vows and promises can’t withstand the temptation of a property ownership certificate, then what’s the point of those slogans about dedicating ourselves to science?

I just hope that, in the face of this harsh reality, we can still hold on to some of our original ideals, still find time to appreciate the small joys in life, and still calm our minds to read and think. I hope this hope won’t eventually become a luxury.