For most of the twentieth century, students were revolutionaries. New ideas originated with them, or at least intellectuals spread their ideas to students, who took to the streets. In China this happened in 1919, in 1966, in 1989. In much of the world this happened in 1968. In 2011 it began to happen in the US, with the many Occupy movements. Expect more action. It is June Fourth again. 6.4. In China these very numbers are blocked from social media on the days surrounding this date. For a while, clever folks used a workaround: 5.35. But now those numbers are blocked too.
In 1989, 23 years ago today, I was awakened in the middle of a deep but troubled sleep—I was pregnant with my first child—by my husband. We are both China scholars, and we were mesmerized by the possibility that Chinese students, in concert with workers and others, might have a chance to let some of their ideas be vocalized. Instead there were tanks in Tian’anmen Square. For most of the twentieth century, students were revolutionaries. New ideas originated with them, or at least intellectuals spread their ideas to students, who took to the streets. In China this happened in 1919, in 1966, in 1989. In much of the world this happened in 1968. In 2011 it began to happen in the US, with the many Occupy movements. It happens when students are fed up, desperate, have nothing to lose. It does not happen when students are, as the saying has it, fat and happy. The world is now filled with students saddled with debt, devoid of hope of a job. They have been promised that if they work hard, get into college, go to class and please their teachers, they will do better than their parents. This is not happening, in much of the world, including China, where college graduates face enormous unemployment. In Beijing, students from the country cannot bear to leave the cosmopolitan world of the capital, so they live in “ant hives,” hoping for some kind of work. In the US, students move home. In Montreal hundreds of thousands of students have been taking to the street for weeks and months. Expect more action. I think these voices are soon to be heard.
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nks for sharing the article, and more importantly, your personal expe sdcrience mindfully using our emotions as data about our inner state an d knowing when it’s better to de-escalate by taking a time out are great tocdols. Appreciate you reading and sharing your story since I can certainly relate and I think others can to
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