Worry-Free Debate Platform
At the start of the New Year, even with the year-end bonus in hand, many white-collar workers find themselves disheartened upon realizing they no longer meet the standard definition of a white-collar worker. A widely circulated online list sets the new benchmark for being a white-collar worker at: a monthly income of 20,000 yuan, ownership of a car worth around 150,000 yuan for commuting, and at least a two-bedroom residence...
Regardless of where the standard of a 20,000-yuan monthly salary comes from, under the current situation of skyrocketing expenses, especially in first-tier cities where the cost of living continues to rise, many people indeed believe that a 20,000-yuan monthly salary barely qualifies one as middle-class. Some netizens even posted extreme comments on the 51job BBS forum stating that anyone who hasn't reached a 20,000-yuan monthly salary by the age of 30 should be classified as part of the "loser" tribe. Income is directly proportional to one's social circle, so it's still advisable to spend time interacting with people of higher social standing when you have the chance. This comment quickly sparked heated discussions among 51job.net users: Is not reaching a 20,000-yuan monthly salary due to problems with your social circle or personal issues?
47.82% of netizens believe that income and social circles are closely related, and to achieve high income, one must try every possible way to enter the rich circle; 29.87% think the inability to reach a high salary mainly stems from a lack of opportunities; 15% indicate it’s purely a matter of capability; and 7.31% consider it an issue of mindset.
**Pro Argument: High Income is Closely Related to Social Circles**
The social circle you belong to subtly influences your values, thoughts, and life priorities. Eventually, making money may become a habit, instinct, or simply a way of life.
**Turning Social Circles and Others' Opinions into Motivation**
Netizen Cyeah: I think this is entirely about your social circle because people are easily influenced by those around them. The desire for money and the pursuit of success can spread within a social circle. One of the driving forces behind many people's progress in society is others' opinions.
**Comment from 51job:** There was once a famous saying: Books are the ladder of human progress. Nowadays, many people's motivation for advancement comes from others' opinions. Many people work hard with the hope of one day buying Hermes or Patek Philippe watches with their own salaries, even if this stems from vanity, it isn't necessarily a bad thing. If vanity can drive people to strive harder, then it's positive. However, when material pursuits reach a certain stage while spiritual pursuits haven't yet reached a certain level, the void of desire grows larger, and the void of the soul remains unfilled. Therefore, moving from striving for a high salary to gain others' admiration to striving for self-improvement marks a new leap and progression.
**The Importance of Social Circles Lies Not Directly in Money but in Perspective**
Netizen Xiaoru: I feel that one's social circle determines their taste, principles in dealing with people, and their pursuit and desire for life, which affects their pursuit of success. Interacting more with successful people will bring you closer to success. The desire for success and the methods these successful people use to pursue success can be learned from and emulated, so communicating with them will change your thoughts and actions.
**Comment from 51job:** Are high salaries really closely related to social circles? Yes, but not entirely. The importance of social circles lies not only in who you know or who knows you, but also in how interpersonal relationships change our thinking and increase our possibilities for practice! The wealthy don't directly give you money, but they offer perspectives on issues, methods and means to solve problems, insights into future trends, and accurate self-positioning.
**Social Circles Are Particularly Important for Entrepreneurs**
Netizen woodwood00: How much money someone earns and how capable they are is closely related to their thinking, environment, courage, and policies. Excluding the second generation of the rich and powerful, almost every successful person has achieved success through their own efforts step by step. If you've just graduated and earn a few thousand yuan, how do you enter the circle of people earning hundreds of thousands or even millions annually? Unless you're someone they particularly need to interact with. When you reach a certain position and your social circle expands, you can establish such a network, and the main function of this circle is to exchange information, resources, and help each other. Especially for entrepreneurs, you need to interact with clients and gradually expand your company from a small scale. You need such a social circle and to broaden your network, constantly improving your level and gaining first-hand information and partners. This is the enhancement of your social circle.
**Comment from 51job:** Simply boasting that your social circle consists of wealthy individuals might not provide any substantial help to your career or business. What matters is whether you choose the right mentors in your career and whether you're good at nurturing your social network.
Yu Yin, a special guest workplace expert for 51job and the brain trust of the program "Who Will Have Lunch With Me," once mentioned in the HR Blog of 51job: The most important factor in entrepreneurial success is not money, but the choice of business partner. She always advocates that professionals should actively expand their social circles because working in the same company for too long means breathing the same air, leading to similar thinking patterns between superiors and colleagues over time. But if you join a professional circle, you can learn from experienced professionals who are at the forefront of management. Professional networks can also help you expand your business and find good career opportunities.
**Neutral Position: Both Social Circles and Personal Effort Are Needed for a High Salary**
Netizen Xunzhianyu: I've heard this theory before: To judge someone's income, look at the average income of the ten people they interact with most frequently. This sounds somewhat reasonable. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together, and a good social circle can provide opportunities and environments to enhance your capabilities.
However, nothing is absolute. While high-income successful people in your social circle can help you, the negative aspects of such a circle can also overwhelm you. Ultimately, cultivation depends on the individual. If your monthly salary hasn't reached 20,000 yuan, it's probably because you haven't worked hard enough. Moreover, higher-level friends aren't something you can just seek out. You need to improve your competitiveness through hard work and diligence, ultimately securing a good job, which will naturally lead you to meet people at a higher level.
Netizen Shijianhuankongjian: I've met some people earning over 20,000 yuan per month, and they didn't rely on family background to achieve high salaries. However, they all love making friends, and when they switch jobs, it's often through referrals from acquaintances. These individuals are also very capable, having obtained master's degrees or MBAs from top universities domestically and internationally, with over five years of relevant work experience.
**Comment from 51job:** To leverage the power of your social circle to achieve a high salary, you need to satisfy at least three conditions: 1) Know how to utilize the various connections and resources within your social circle; 2) Possess sufficient ability and relentless effort, although some people may find themselves unable to overcome limitations; 3) Maintain the right attitude, avoiding letting feelings of inferiority or arrogance affect you easily. Staying in the same environment, different people will have different outcomes in life: Being with wealthy people, optimistic individuals will see goals in life, while pessimistic and insecure ones will complain and accomplish little. With a positive attitude, autonomous learning, innovation, and practice, along with appropriate networking, you can succeed.
Deciding your surrounding environment is up to yourself; changing your fate is also up to yourself. Social circles are certainly important, but so is capability, which is an indispensable condition for success and wealth. Recently, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, whose character inspired the movie "The Social Network," which won numerous Golden Globes, is a unique and extreme example. His prototype idea for Facebook came from twins who were part of the Harvard elite club he couldn't join. However, Facebook was almost entirely founded by his personal genius. Therefore, social circles are just auxiliary forces in creating opportunities, while capability is the cornerstone of success.
**Con Argument: High Salaries and Rich Circles Aren't Important – Suitability Is Key**
A sentence from Netizen Tianze in this topic discussion resonates deeply: Whether living like a rat or dominating like a lion, finding a method suitable for your survival and happiness is what matters.
**Women Generally Value Family More Than High Salaries and Elite Society**
Netizen Daibecky: Whether one can achieve a high salary and enter the rich circle has little connection. I believe whether one can earn a high salary mainly depends on one's mindset. I once thought that by the age of 30, I must have my own office, and at that time, a 20,000-yuan monthly salary wasn't a big deal for me. If I was willing to travel frequently, go abroad, and work overtime, I could receive a bonus of tens of thousands of yuan at the end of the year. But now, I've changed my mind because I had a miscarriage recently. I suddenly realized that as a woman, achieving both career and family is possible but rare. Now, I'm more open-minded and don't overload myself with work. For women, high salaries and upper-class society aren't important; family is what matters most.
**Comment from 51job:** According to a survey conducted by 51job (www.51job.com) targeting women, 31.53% of professional women indicated that after the age of 30, pursuing stability in work is sufficient, with the main focus on family. Male respondents leaned even more toward this stance, with 65.79% believing that women should place their life's focus on caring for their families while maintaining stable employment after the age of 30. Women can be strong, but ultimately shouldn't be too strong, which is the dominant thought of most men when choosing a partner.
For many women, family is a lifelong commitment that requires careful nurturing. If career development brings pressure to family life, they would rather give up some great opportunities in the workplace and invest more enthusiasm into life and family, deriving more lasting happiness from it.
**Valuable Social Interactions Without Self-Interest**
Netizen Knight009: Some people, upon earning a 20,000-yuan monthly salary, feel that their identity and status have changed, boosting their self-esteem. However, income is not the basis for making friends. If someone uses income as a criterion for friendship, it's superficial and unworthy of attention. Expanding one's social circle benefits from increasing knowledge, networking, and understanding interaction methods across different levels, with non-self-interested social interactions being the most valuable. Otherwise, as self-interest diminishes, so does the relationship, resulting in a social circle built on self-interest alone.
**Comment from 51job:** Income doesn't represent one's achievements. Throughout history, people who have left a lasting legacy have done so not because of their wealth but because of their knowledge, wisdom, and contributions to society, regardless of financial status.
**Focus on Balanced Growth and Don't Get Lost in High Salaries**
Netizen Fumo: People are alive, environments are static. Some people earn 2,000 yuan per month and still live happily, while others earn 20,000 yuan per month but have neither the time nor the mood to enjoy the small joys of life. If what you love doing isn't your job and the person you love isn't your partner, what tangible benefits do the rich circle and a 20,000-yuan monthly salary bring? If you merely change your views, cater to others, or even alter yourself and abandon essential things just to earn a high salary, then even if you succeed, you will lose yourself.
**Comment from 51job:** Companies often measure personal value with numbers, and society often measures success with wealth. However, focusing solely on money will inevitably cause problems. Evaluating the value of a job cannot be based solely on monetary compensation but should consider overall factors, such as learning opportunities and growth potential. If you only chase material wealth without focusing on balanced growth, you will eventually lose a healthy and happy mindset. At that point, no matter how much money you have, it will be difficult to feel happiness, and your heart will be filled with confusion and torment. Maintaining a happy and healthy mindset is the most important thing. Experience growth and fulfillment during the process, and feel success and satisfaction in the results! (End)