Hello everyone, I am Anthony. Welcome to my channel.

Originally, today's video, I want to continue talking about Yangming's philosophy of mind and Chinese culture. This thread has been delayed for two weeks. Many netizens also urged me to remind.

But because I recently caught up, the season for applying for college entrance examination in China. Many people ask me questions about this. So I want to add a video temporarily. Talk about the academic and career planning of Chinese college students.

Of course, we explore the depth, it's not limited to these very specific topics. And more with the help of this topic, to explore a more universal philosophy of life.

Before the video starts, let me say, if you have anything you want to discuss with me and consulting topics, you can contact my email to make an appointment.

So let's get back to today's topic.

First, among the students I have met recently, almost everyone is very confused and anxious.

They face a vast number of university majors and complex employment situation. I also feel very powerless.

This is of course due to the deterioration of the overall environment.

In the past, the industry relied on real estate and high-intensity manufacturing and infrastructure investment. The economic growth model driven by, it is foreseeable that China's economic and employment situation, it's bad in the short term.

In this context of increasing uncertainty, predict so-called employment hotspots and popular majors, it became an almost impossible thing.

To combat this uncertainty, more and more families and candidates instinctively choose a strategy that enhances planning.

They tend to designing a more clear and closed future. For example, "I want to take the civil service exam in the future," "I want to enter the system" and "take the exam."

Once this goal is established, they will focus on this goal to deploy all resources.

So we see, some majors have become extremely popular—for example, Chinese language and literature, law, administrative management, etc.

These majors not performing well in the job market, but they are more likely to enter the system, being sought after.

Many people also choose teaching majors, medical majors, police schools, military schools, and other schools with certain "organizational" attributes.

More and more universities are moving towards the development direction of civil service examination and postgraduate examination training institutions.

For example, the famous Qufu Normal University.

As this article says, the author arrived at Qufu Normal University on his first day, I saw the banner of the Chemistry Department. It says, warm congratulations to the Department of Chemistry for having a postgraduate entrance examination rate of over 70%.

The author himself, I could have applied to a better school. But it's also because I heard this university has a high admission rate. So I chose this place.

It is said that many students start preparing since their freshman year. They even work harder than the seniors. I go to the library at 4 o'clock every morning to reserve a seat.

For example, Southwest University once opened a course called Civil Service.

This major offers official document writing, official communication and etiquette, administrative ability test, courses on emotional management and mental health for public servants.

This completely equates university with a training class for civil service exams.

Of course, in recent years, Chinese universities, it was originally moving towards maintaining stability, development in the direction of high school.

More universities start recording attendance by taking roll call, etc. Students are required to attend morning and evening self-study, morning reading, and morning exercises.

After the students finished their morning exercises, you also need to upload screenshots or photos to the system.

The administrative management system of colleges and universities is becoming increasingly rigid.

For example, this article says, in a university, a student wants to take a leave. Actually, a deputy monitor is needed. After the counselors approve it in turn, to succeed.

As what we said in the video last May, many universities, although slow to address the real problem, however, in terms of maintaining stability, a set of efficient and skilled coping strategies.

Students' living conditions are increasingly neglected. Schools increasingly view students as a pure resources and objects of control, rather than a subject with an independent personality.

But it is conceivable that this management strategy of Chinese universities, actually, it is welcomed by many parents and students.

Because this also caters to they desire more psychological needs for certainty.

However, in an era of increasing uncertainty, is increasing planning a reliable strategy?

On the surface, it is a rational choice to fight against uncertainty. But in an environment like China, it's just a reliance on pseudo-certainty.

Because if you look at history you will know, there are no truly stable industries or professions in China.

This stems from its social structure and the way the country is governed. Very sporty.

This system does not provide real institutional stability.

Those paths that seem to be the "optimal solution" today, often when policy direction and power structure change, rapid depreciation. Even reverse to the most risky option.

We don't need to list the history of the Mao era. It can be inferred from common sense alone. Those paths that seem to be highly certain, soon we will face institutional saturation.

For example, more and more people are taking the civil service exam. The landing rate will become lower and lower.

This will inevitably lead to a gradual decline in income, narrow promotion space. Most people still have to experience compression, the process of marginalization.

In fact, many in China, paths that are generally considered to be highly certain, not a very long history. But only in the past 20 years. Even the concept that has only emerged in the past 10 years. Then it is certainly not natural.

So, what can combat uncertainty? What about truly stable capital?

We say, in an era of rapid change, really stable capital, it must be based on one's own mind.

Traditional capital, such as education, certificates, assets, etc., this may be due to policy changes and technological changes, depreciation.

But human mental abilities, inner resources, for example, critical thinking ability, mind reading ability, the ability to regulate emotions, the ability to empathize with and cooperate with others, the ability to find and establish intimate relationships.

This intangible capital, intrinsic capital, it's not like education and money. Can be directly quantified.

But it is transferable across scenarios and risk resistance.

They can help individuals, in an era of ever-changing meaning, to reestablish the stability and continuity of personality.

Academic qualifications can only be recognized under certain systems. But whether you are in China, the United States or Africa, the ability to understand and work with others is always effective.

When faced with unemployment, bankruptcy and various unexpected blows, a person who is good at seeking intimacy and social support, people with reflective and emotional regulation abilities, often more than those who simply have education or wealth, rebuild yourself faster.

When life is in turmoil, the biggest dilemma is often not survival itself. It is the disintegration of one's identity and sense of meaning in life.

Once we realize, human mental abilities, it is the most stable and valuable capital in the face of turbulence. We can use a new standard, re-examining China’s university education.

Traditional ideas, always emphasize professional education, knowledge reserves, test scores are “quantifiable indicators.”

I believe that the core value of a university is "Imparting knowledge" and "Developing professional capabilities."

But university education is seriously out of touch with reality. At the same time, China's social structure is undergoing drastic changes. The practical utility of most professional knowledge, it is very delayed.

Many university majors, not only can it not help students adapt to the future, instead, it consumes them, the time and energy that could have been used for free exploration.

Really worth paying attention to, are more likely to support students' autonomous growth, a university environment that develops inner resources.

A good university, I don't have to teach you anything. But it should be as little as possible, interferes with your growth and development.

For example, if its administrative system could be more relaxed, less bureaucracy and formalism, less time for things like roll call, morning and evening self-study, complicated procedures such as leave approval. Then it is even more difficult, causing you unnecessary psychological trauma.

In simple terms, good university, it is not reflected in how much benefit it can bring to us. And it is reflected in how much less harm it can bring to us.

The standards for good professions should also be adjusted.

Since I work hard in school, my GPA, it could be a complete waste of time and useless. Then we should make the future build on the part you have developed.

A good professional, it does not necessarily have to be reflected in high employment rates and high incomes. It should be less academic pressure, majors with easy exams and loose course schedules.

Because this means, you can free up more time, do things that are of real interest and importance.

For example, read books that you are really interested in. Attend lectures and courses that interest you more. Participate in social practice outside the school. Meet interesting and thoughtful people, learn to build high-quality relationships.

These things, it is the foundation of your mental ability. Although it doesn't seem to help you directly, find a good job and make lots of money.

But for a complex goal like career planning, follow your interests and passions, rather than developing a grand and detailed plan, to be more effective.

I just happened to read a very good book recently. The title is "Why Greatness Can't Be Planned: A free exploration of creativity, innovation and creation."

Many of the contents of this book, this is what we mentioned repeatedly in previous videos.

However, the author emphasizes the concept of stepping stones. Meaning, for a huge goal, we often have to go through very complicated paths to achieve.

These paths involve countless stepping stones, that is, some mediating variables.

These mediating variables are initially, not designed for the ultimate purpose. Even contrary to the ultimate goal.

But later they, unexpectedly became a springboard to the goal.

For example, paleontology shows, birds evolved from dinosaurs. Bird feathers come from primitive feathers on dinosaurs.

But these feathers often had nothing to do with flight in the first place. It's for warmth or courtship.

However, in the long history, it unexpectedly flew. Provides the basis for aerodynamics.

If we just keep our eyes on our ultimate goal, you'll miss out on a lot of valuable things.

These things seem to have no value. But it may be of great significance to your ultimate goal. Play a kind of intermediary support role.

Even without considering the grand example of biological evolution, for our college life and career path, don't make overly detailed plans.

It is also possible to remain open and flexible.

The author also gives two examples.

Say a lawyer, keen on assembling various models with Lego bricks. Immersed in it all day. Finally decided to quit the job. Develop this hobby full time.

This looks risky. But follow your true passion. This enabled him to create more unique works. And it is very popular. It also allowed him to live a richer life.

Another person, spend most of your time, used to build Rube Goldberg machines.

For example, in a device, a ball goes down the slope. Falling onto a lever. Lighted a fuse. Burned a rope. Released a ball. Finally helped him open the newspaper.

This device can't do anything specific. But it looks interesting. So it attracted millions of fans.

I also mentioned this in the video on December 1 last year. When I was in primary school, lots of time to play with lots of toys.

At that time, I often indulge in imagination and pretend play.

These games seemed, seems like a lot of time wasted. But when I grew up, I often feel, my memory is better than that of my peers.

This can be attributed to imagination and pretend play. Exercise children's empathy and projection abilities. This promotes the refinement of emotions.

So we say, the kind of overly closed academic and career planning, gradually losing its effect.

This is because, our plans and goals, always based on current experience and information. It's bound to be imperfect.

We cannot predict, to achieve what we define as a good life, which variables are valuable?

We can only accumulate transferable capabilities while, keep open enough.

Certainly, we will discuss this topic in detail later.

On the other hand, when choosing a university and a major, we must also have a sensitivity and vigilance to psychological trauma.

For example, many people still mistakenly believe that “The more rigorous a university is, the better,” “The higher the teacher’s expectations of students, the better.”

Even think that strict attendance, frequent inspections, mandatory participation in activities, it is the school's responsibility.

But in reality, these are often the source of trauma.

For example, some parents think, school administrators have an obligation, inform parents of all student information. For example, grades, entry and exit records, and psychological counseling status, etc.

Many schools want to take less responsibility. Will do the same.

But this is actually treating students as if they have no privacy, individuals with independent personalities.

This kind of information exchange between parents and schools, in fact, it makes students under long-term surveillance, the status of being reviewed. They lose their most basic independent space.

Many students, seems to have suffered psychological trauma and crisis at school. But these crises, often can be traced back to the family of origin.

The school will use this information, feedback to parents as is. In fact, it is equivalent to reactivating and amplifying the trauma.

This also led to many people spending four years in college. I have lost a person who can think independently, a psychological space for repair and reflection. They also fail to develop a true sense of self. I have been living under the shadow of my parents.

So, on the one hand, we need to be wary of this system. On the other hand, we must also be aware of privacy. Psychologically and parents, keep enough distance from the school. Learn to hide and conceal. Don't show yourself without reservation.

In addition to institutional trauma, Chinese universities, there is still a lot of hidden harm from interpersonal relationships.

Because most students have interpersonal relationships, such as roommates, classmates, partners. Many times, this is for the school's management purposes. Results of random assignment and scheduling.

The quality of these relationships, it was completely accidental, random.

But this psychological environment, but it has a greater impact than the physical environment. A person's living condition.

We often see, many students are in a very toxic environment. For example, cold violence, isolation and exclusion between roommates. Sarcasm and verbal humiliation.

This will cause great anxiety and internal consumption to a person.

More common is the superficial harmony. But there is an atmosphere of competition and hostility.

Chinese culture does not encourage individuals to screen their relationships. Reselect the environment. Instead, it simply emphasizes that individuals must learn to adapt to the environment.

Forcing two people who are not compatible to get together. The result is more psychological trauma.

Even if there is no major interpersonal conflict, but in a world lacking response, the interpersonal environment of resonance and feedback, it will still make us think and explore, very restricted.

How to screen interpersonal relationships, we will discuss this later.

Overall, my judgment criteria are two: The first is to what extent universities, it helps us develop our mental abilities. The second is, to what extent can institutional and interpersonal trauma be reduced?

A traumatic environment, no matter how rich the academic resources it provides, what a resounding title, it is impossible to be truly beneficial to our development.

How to determine which schools or regions, more conducive to such growth.

Although, the overall situation of Chinese universities is deteriorating. Commonalities outweigh differences.

But relatively speaking, the private economy is developed, entrepreneurship is active, areas with a strong atmosphere of going abroad, more likely to be relatively open-minded and a relaxed social ecology.

In that class concept, regions with greater government power, a humiliating management style is more likely to occur.

That's all for today's video.

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I will post this video, put it in the list of "Psychology and Education." Also recommend to everyone, check out my other videos in this list.

Thank you for watching. Goodbye!