Living off one's parents is a disgrace to society.

The phenomenon of young people relying on their parents for support after graduation is not the fault of the youth themselves, but rather a reflection of societal issues and failures in the employment security mechanism. It is an insult to society that has failed to provide adequate opportunities and systemic support for its young members.

The root cause of this issue does not lie with the young people but with the social employment guarantee mechanisms. To address the problem of young adults living off their parents, the key lies in the government establishing a universal welfare treatment normalization guarantee mechanism. This ensures that young people's employment channels are not overly tied to obtaining certain educational qualifications, thereby ensuring smooth and unobstructed pathways to employment, which could comprehensively resolve the issue of living off one's parents.

Frankly speaking, from the 1950s to the 1970s, when did we ever hear of such a phenomenon as living off one’s parents? Back then, upon graduating from school, the state would arrange employment and allocate jobs. If you wanted to stay at home and not participate in social work, neither relying on your parents nor elders was an option. Even so-called "youths of society" would be approached by neighborhood committees who would try their best to introduce them to labor opportunities. Those of us who lived through that era remember it well. That period was what we often referred to as the "planned economy" era.

Entering the current so-called "market economy" era, everything has changed. The state no longer handles job placements for graduates, leaving those with certain educational qualifications to find work on their own. In theory, this is a good move by the state, allowing students to seek careers based on their own preferences. However, everything has two sides. In practice, among the vast talent market, millions of students cannot find jobs, an undeniable fact. Is it because they don't want to work and earn a good living, or due to other reasons that force them to stay at home, helplessly relying on their parents and elders? According to my observations and research, as well as experiences in universities, it is undoubtedly the latter!

Recently, Shenzhen TV held a program about the issue of living off one's parents, featuring both those being relied upon and those doing the relying. When the host asked about this issue, surprisingly both sides unanimously thought it was justified. A few dissenting guests sitting nearby felt inexplicably sorrowful.

Of course, media frequently comments and criticizes this issue of living off one's parents. However, I believe we should not oversimplify it but instead conduct comprehensive and in-depth thinking. No one thinks that living off one's parents is a disgrace; no one believes that it disgraces only the offspring but also the elders; even more so, no one believes that it disgraces the elders alone but also the entire society—this indicates the failure of certain social systems and moral education.

Employment is closely linked to having the right qualifications. Without a university education, without the appropriate certification, can one find a good job and earn high wages? Such dreams may seem cruelly unrealistic! However, with billions of young people in China, it's impossible to force everyone to attend university! Moreover, there are distinctions between doctoral, master's, graduate, undergraduate, and associate degrees. In the job market, being overlooked, receiving cold stares, and submitting resumes with no response has become all too common. What destroys children's independence and self-confidence is precisely our current societal conditions or systemic structures.

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