Start Winning as a Sperm
By Jason Hung, MSc Candidate at London School of Economics
“Children should win before ejaculation,” said Irene, a pregnant woman interviewed in the 2016 Hong Kong television show “The Treadmill Runner”.1 Viral on social media, her words were dubbed “Ejaculation Theory.” Since then, Irene’s interview has engendered considerable controversy, where an increasing discussion about whether toddlers and children should begin competing with their peers, academically or otherwise, as early as possible at the expense of their leisure enjoyment and wellbeing.
From January to April 2018, Union Bank of Switzerland surveyed professionals in 77 cities worldwide. While Hong Kong’s gross earnings ranked 29th, their purchasing power ranked 9th and average working time topped the list globally.2 Professionals in Hong Kong relentlessly work for better living standards; however, their world-leading living costs and working hours bar them from accumulating wealth and enjoying a fair share of leisure time respectively. Their routines are all about working hard with very few alternatives.
In a city where 93.6% of the population is Chinese, local families in Hong Kong are socialized by entrenched Confucian values.3 Confucianism is one of the most popular historical, social, and cultural values within Chinese and wider East Asian communities.4,5 According to Confucianism, Hong Kong parents should focus on children’s academic success, since academic achievements of younger generations are believed to be correlated with their professional success and familial pride.6,7 Therefore, parents often set high expectations for children’s academic performance.8 Parents deem child development not only as a marathon, but also a sprint. Children should not enjoy the journey as marathon runners; all they need is sprinting past other runners in a marathon-like sprint before reaching the tape.
Where is the tape? Many are uncertain. Yet, they know they should follow the mainstream and run fast. Unless the tape is reached before others, younger generations are asked to continue studying and working hard day after day.
According to the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2015, the average academic performances of 15-year-old students in Hong Kong were among the best worldwide in science, mathematics and especially reading (Fig. 1A).9
In contrast to Hong Kong students’ academic excellence, their well-being reported by PISA was among the poorest globally. Hong Kong students had among the lowest life satisfaction and sense of belonging at school, while having among the highest schoolwork-related anxiety (Fig. 1B).9
Despite the fact that Hong Kong parents acknowledge the adverse psychological and social impacts of over-studying, they push their children through the limits academically.
However, interestingly, OECD reported that 15-year-old students from all countries, except Taipei, Korea, mainland China, Dominican Republic and Mexico, performed worse in science subjects when they studied over 60 hours per week, as compared with those who studied up to 40 hours per week.9 Moreover, those studying over 60 hours weekly scored lower in life satisfaction than their peers who studied no more than 40 hours weekly. Findings revealed that over-studying does not result in over-achievement in most circumstances. Instead, a reasonable amount of studying time would enhance students’ academic potentials alongside their psychological and social well-being.
Developmental psychologists suggest that higher social competence leads to better cognitive, mental, psychological and academic development.10,11 By contrast, the more social problems children encounter, the worse their performance. As Hong Kong parenting and teaching styles continue to harm the mental, social and psychological wellbeing of young generations, local youths are, in consequence, less likely to maximize their potential in educational attainments.
Hong Kong parents believe in the fallacy that academic hardwork is in line with academic and professional success. Years later, parents’ emphasis on children’s academic development began as early as when children were toddlers. In recent years, children have been forced to enter the lifelong academic and professional competition before they are born. The enforced competition leaves young generations little autonomy to “decide” and “design” their lives. While academic success is an advantage for professional entry, Hong Kong parents neglect the fact that reaching the tape earlier necessitates independence, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills, in addition to good health and well-being, rather than perfect scoresheets.
Believe it or not, children do not necessarily need to win before they’re born—all they need is to win at the destination by their own definitions.
References
1. "沒有起跑線？" [“The Treadmill Runner”], Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), accessed June 20, 2016, programme.tvb.com/drama/thetreadmillrunner
2. "Data Explorer", Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), accessed April, 2018, https://www.ubs.com/microsites/prices-earnings/en/intro/
3. "Hong Kong Population 2018", World Population Review, accessed September 30, 2018, worldpopulationreview.com/countries/hong-kong-population/
4. Irene Yeung and Rosalie Tung, "Achieving Business Success in Confucian Societies: The Importance of Guanxi (Connections)," Organisational Dynamics 25, no. 2 (Autumn 1996): 54-65
5. Zhang, Shanruo Ning, Confucianism and Contemporary Chinese Politics (Lexington Books March 29, 2016), 136-53
6. Grace Leung et al., "Academic Stressors and Anxiety in Children: The Role of Paternal Support," Journal of Child and Family Studies 19, no. 1 (June, 2009): 90-100
7. Ruth Chao, "Chinese and European American Mothers' Beliefs about the Role of Parenting in Children's School Success," Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 27, no. 4 (July 1996): 403-423
8. Kuang-Hui Yeh, The Beneficial and Harmful Effects of Filial Piety: An Integrative Analysis," Contributions in Psychology 42 (2003): 67-82
9. OECD, PISA 2015 Results (Volume III) STUDENTS’ WELL-BEING (OECD Publishing Paris, 2017) http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264273856-en
10. Greg Duncan, “Modeling the Impacts of Child Care Quality on Children's Preschool Cognitive Development,” Child Development 74, no. 5 (assessed October, 2003): 1454-75
11. Xinyin Chen et al., "Effects of the Peer Group on the Development of Social Functioning and Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Study in Chinese Children", Child Development 79, no. 2 (assessed March/April 2008): 235-51
“Children should win before ejaculation,” said Irene, a pregnant woman interviewed in the 2016 Hong Kong television show “The Treadmill Runner”.1 Viral on social media, her words were dubbed “Ejaculation Theory.” Since then, Irene’s interview has engendered considerable controversy, where an increasing discussion about whether toddlers and children should begin competing with their peers, academically or otherwise, as early as possible at the expense of their leisure enjoyment and wellbeing.
From January to April 2018, Union Bank of Switzerland surveyed professionals in 77 cities worldwide. While Hong Kong’s gross earnings ranked 29th, their purchasing power ranked 9th and average working time topped the list globally.2 Professionals in Hong Kong relentlessly work for better living standards; however, their world-leading living costs and working hours bar them from accumulating wealth and enjoying a fair share of leisure time respectively. Their routines are all about working hard with very few alternatives.
In a city where 93.6% of the population is Chinese, local families in Hong Kong are socialized by entrenched Confucian values.3 Confucianism is one of the most popular historical, social, and cultural values within Chinese and wider East Asian communities.4,5 According to Confucianism, Hong Kong parents should focus on children’s academic success, since academic achievements of younger generations are believed to be correlated with their professional success and familial pride.6,7 Therefore, parents often set high expectations for children’s academic performance.8 Parents deem child development not only as a marathon, but also a sprint. Children should not enjoy the journey as marathon runners; all they need is sprinting past other runners in a marathon-like sprint before reaching the tape.
Where is the tape? Many are uncertain. Yet, they know they should follow the mainstream and run fast. Unless the tape is reached before others, younger generations are asked to continue studying and working hard day after day.
According to the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2015, the average academic performances of 15-year-old students in Hong Kong were among the best worldwide in science, mathematics and especially reading (Fig. 1A).9
In contrast to Hong Kong students’ academic excellence, their well-being reported by PISA was among the poorest globally. Hong Kong students had among the lowest life satisfaction and sense of belonging at school, while having among the highest schoolwork-related anxiety (Fig. 1B).9
Despite the fact that Hong Kong parents acknowledge the adverse psychological and social impacts of over-studying, they push their children through the limits academically.
However, interestingly, OECD reported that 15-year-old students from all countries, except Taipei, Korea, mainland China, Dominican Republic and Mexico, performed worse in science subjects when they studied over 60 hours per week, as compared with those who studied up to 40 hours per week.9 Moreover, those studying over 60 hours weekly scored lower in life satisfaction than their peers who studied no more than 40 hours weekly. Findings revealed that over-studying does not result in over-achievement in most circumstances. Instead, a reasonable amount of studying time would enhance students’ academic potentials alongside their psychological and social well-being.
Developmental psychologists suggest that higher social competence leads to better cognitive, mental, psychological and academic development.10,11 By contrast, the more social problems children encounter, the worse their performance. As Hong Kong parenting and teaching styles continue to harm the mental, social and psychological wellbeing of young generations, local youths are, in consequence, less likely to maximize their potential in educational attainments.
Hong Kong parents believe in the fallacy that academic hardwork is in line with academic and professional success. Years later, parents’ emphasis on children’s academic development began as early as when children were toddlers. In recent years, children have been forced to enter the lifelong academic and professional competition before they are born. The enforced competition leaves young generations little autonomy to “decide” and “design” their lives. While academic success is an advantage for professional entry, Hong Kong parents neglect the fact that reaching the tape earlier necessitates independence, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills, in addition to good health and well-being, rather than perfect scoresheets.
Believe it or not, children do not necessarily need to win before they’re born—all they need is to win at the destination by their own definitions.
References
1. "沒有起跑線？" [“The Treadmill Runner”], Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), accessed June 20, 2016, programme.tvb.com/drama/thetreadmillrunner
2. "Data Explorer", Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), accessed April, 2018, https://www.ubs.com/microsites/prices-earnings/en/intro/
3. "Hong Kong Population 2018", World Population Review, accessed September 30, 2018, worldpopulationreview.com/countries/hong-kong-population/
4. Irene Yeung and Rosalie Tung, "Achieving Business Success in Confucian Societies: The Importance of Guanxi (Connections)," Organisational Dynamics 25, no. 2 (Autumn 1996): 54-65
5. Zhang, Shanruo Ning, Confucianism and Contemporary Chinese Politics (Lexington Books March 29, 2016), 136-53
6. Grace Leung et al., "Academic Stressors and Anxiety in Children: The Role of Paternal Support," Journal of Child and Family Studies 19, no. 1 (June, 2009): 90-100
7. Ruth Chao, "Chinese and European American Mothers' Beliefs about the Role of Parenting in Children's School Success," Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 27, no. 4 (July 1996): 403-423
8. Kuang-Hui Yeh, The Beneficial and Harmful Effects of Filial Piety: An Integrative Analysis," Contributions in Psychology 42 (2003): 67-82
9. OECD, PISA 2015 Results (Volume III) STUDENTS’ WELL-BEING (OECD Publishing Paris, 2017) http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264273856-en
10. Greg Duncan, “Modeling the Impacts of Child Care Quality on Children's Preschool Cognitive Development,” Child Development 74, no. 5 (assessed October, 2003): 1454-75
11. Xinyin Chen et al., "Effects of the Peer Group on the Development of Social Functioning and Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Study in Chinese Children", Child Development 79, no. 2 (assessed March/April 2008): 235-51