Impoverished family, rich sons; Rich because of their ‘struggles’

寒门贵子：没有有钱的爹，如何富?

These years, the phrase "impoverished families can hardly nurture rich sons" has been frequently used in public opinions. In reports, for example, reporting the proportion of rural young people in the top universities is decreasing and the recruitment market is increasingly favoring urban youth seems to be common. However, while China’s population quality and education level has greatly improved, the gaps of material conditions and life experience are still large obstacles for "impoverished youth" to get ahead. Whether the situation is yet to be verified, the social anxiety of "Impoverished families can hardly nurture rich sons" is a reality.

近年来，人们常说“寒门难出贵子”。例如，报告显示，名牌大学农村年轻人的比例正在下降，招聘市场越来越偏爱城市年轻人，这似乎司空见惯。然而，尽管中国的人口素质和教育水平已经大大提高，但物质条件和生活经验上的差距仍然是“贫困青年”前进的巨大障碍。无论情况是否属实，“寒门难出贵子”带来的社会焦虑已是现实。

Who are the "rich sons" in today’s societies? The word "rich" does not mean they have to get rich or to acquire a high social status. It represents the possibility of life progress and the opportunity to realize the value of life. The second generation of the riches and the officers are certainly accord with the traditional definition of "rich sons". However, if they do not have their own professional skills, neither are able to start a business with their own talents; so-called "rich" only stays superficially.

如今社会上，谁才是“贵子”?“贵”一词并不意味着要有钱或者获得很高的社会地位。它代表生活进步的可能性和实现生命价值的机会。富二代和官二代无疑符合传统上对“贵子”的定义。但是，如果没有自己的专业技能，也就无法用自己的才智创业，所谓的“贵”只停留在表面。

On the contrary, the impoverished youth who can start from scratch with their own efforts to create values to themselves and the society as a whole, the title of "rich sons" is inherently telling. As a representative of the outstanding graduates of Harvard University, one of China’s impoverished students, Jiang He, once mentioned his successful experience.

恰恰相反，贫穷的年轻人可以从头开始，用自己的努力来为自己和整个社会创造价值，“贵子”这一称号注重内在。何江是哈佛大学优秀毕业生代表，也是中国贫困学生之一，他曾提到自己的成功经验。

"Every time enter into a larger place and stand on a bigger platform, I always find that there are a lot of things that I have not understood," he said.

“每次进入一个更大的地方，站在更大的平台上，我总会发现有很多不理解的事情，”他说。

My strong curiosity drives me to learn them to constantly make up my weaknesses.

“强烈的好奇心驱使我不断学习，以弥补自身弱点。”

At the same time, in an era that the internet culture is prosperous, the ways of the impoverished youth to counterattack become more pluralistic. A short time ago, Shenwei Shi, a young man from Hubei province, had a screen name "Banzhuanxiaowei". He attracted more than 1 million fans on the short video sharing platform, with a series of homemade high difficulty fitness video. This impoverished young man has moved countless netizens with his experience of growing from a left-behind child and a video-game addicted boy to a famous person with the continuous hard work in fitness to hone and change himself, which conveys positive energy to the society.

同时，在互联网文化兴盛的时代，贫穷年轻人逆袭的方式变得更加多元化。不久前，湖北省的一个名叫石神伟的年轻小伙有个网络名称叫“搬砖小伟”。他因一系列自制的高难度健身视频，在短视频共享平台上吸引了超过100万的粉丝。这个贫穷的年轻人因自己的经历感动了无数网友，他曾是一个留守儿童和网瘾少年，凭着不断努力健身，磨练和改变自己，成为一个名人，这向社会传递了正能量。

Today, many famous people on the internet, who have similar experience as "Banzhuanxiaowei", have realized their own value and have transmitted positive energy to the social progress with the access of the internet. Some people exclaim Shenwei’s tenacity, modesty and simplicity are the luxuries of this era. He is a true "rich son" who truly belongs to today. It is undeniable the spread of the flat internet has opened a life-changing window for many impoverished young people and has created another possibility of life.

今天，许多与“搬砖小伟”有着类似经历的网络名人，已经实现了自己的价值，并且通过互联网向社会传播正能量。有些人感叹神伟的坚韧，谦虚和朴素是这个时代的奢侈品。他是真正属于这个时代的“贵子”。不可否认的是，平板网络的普及为许多贫穷年轻人打开了一个改变生活的窗口，并为他们创造了另一种生活的可能。

Modern social scientific research shows a person’s success is closely related to the social trust and social support that the person gains. Family background, education background and work platform do influence a person’s growth path. However, in an era with the pluralism in values and flat transmission channels, the term "rich son" had more abundant implications. In the meantime, "powerful circle of friends", which is composed based on internet, also can provide strong social support to help impoverished youth be successful.

现代社会科学研究表明，一个人的成功与他获得的社会信任和社会支持密切相关。家庭背景，教育背景和工作平台确实影响着人的成长之路。然而，在价值观和平面传播渠道多元化的时代，“贵子”一词具有更丰富的含义。同时，基于网络的“强大朋友圈”也可以提供强有力的社会支持，来帮助贫困年轻人取得成功。

A popular speech pervading on the internet, "Impoverished family, rich sons", contains a passage – "Most of us are not from rich families. We are all on our own. So, you have to believe what destiny means to tell you and when it has given you a lower starting point is to let you use your life to create a story of comebacks."

网络上一个流行的演讲《寒门贵子》中有段话是这样说的：“我们大部分人都不是出身豪门，都是要靠自己的，你要相信命运给你一个比别人低的起点，是希望你用你的一生去奋斗出一个绝地反击的故事。”

It is not chicken soup for the soul, but proposes a critical question. In such an era with infinite possibilities, the topic of whether impoverished families can have "rich sons" is not a topic of "fate" but a story about "struggle".