Re: ot: Nixon was right
- From: "The Librarian" <zootwoman@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 23 Jul 2006 17:10:21 -0700
I am thinking - "what IS success?" How is that defined and by whom.
http://www.pbs.org/hanoi/
You win wars through cultrual changes, not bombs
Vietnam's youth today -
Members of Vietnam's "New Generation" can be described by one word:
driven. They sport the latest fashions, cruise the streets (QuickTime
1.33Mb) on motorbikes and chat on mobile phones. And, for better or
worse, "MTV" now has faithful viewers in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
But this "New Generation" is faced with many dilemmas along the way.
How do its members balance family traditions and duties with the
pursuit of their own dreams and goals?
Pham Ba Hung, a 24 year-old photographer and one of the "New
Generation," grew up in the 1980's when scarce food supplies were
rationed. Now, foreign investment and relaxed governmental control have
brought new opportunities. Hung's views are indicative of those held by
many his age.
On the exciting changes:
"(In the 80's) people just talked about how to get enough food to eat
and clothes to wear. But now people are talking about how to do
business, how to build a nice house and things like that. Everything
changed very fast."
Goods weren't the only thing to pour into Vietnam. Modern western
culture was devoured right along with the bread, meat and milk that
were suddenly so available. "Nguoi Dep" (meaning "Beautiful Person") is
one of Vietnam's many fashion magazines that young women study like a
textbook. And rock 'n roll has staked its claim on yet another
population, as young men in karaoke bars sing along with anyone from
John Lennon to Puff Daddy.
On music:
"We like rock, pop, even jazz and blues. After '86, the 'modern'
western music came and everything changed. I love the Beatles. That's
the best band ever! And the music of Vietnam has also changed. In the
past few years Vietnamese singers have become very good. Now people
talk about a musical industry in Vietnam."
Young people also enjoy more free time than their parents did. Cafes
aren't just a hangout, they're a way of life. There are even a few
discos in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City that attract the more daring
crowd.
On going out:
"Almost every night we'll call each other on our mobile phones and
arrange to meet at a cafe or karaoke bar for a drink. I like to go to
discos but not everyone feels comfortable with them or can afford them
as they're quite expensive. In the South they already know about the
nightclub culture. In Hanoi it's still fairly new and people are just
starting to go to discos."
The Generation Gap
Unlike their parents who fear change, the youth demand it. They're
savvy and aggressive, handing out business cards like flyers. It's a
huge change from the past, when being an entrepreneur was frowned upon
by the government. With 80% of the population under 40, it's clear that
"change" is not a question of if, but when.
On the Generation Gap:
"Power is slowly changing hands because my generation understands
things that my parents' generation didn't have the chance to. Before,
there was no choice for information and no one had a chance to be
different or change. Now we have magazines, television and the Internet
and we can choose what information we want. We're allowed to be
different from each other and we're more open."
.
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