Creating a Better Life

Creating a Better Life

Minsheng Weekly Issue No. 1， 2018

The standard of what defines a good life varies at different stages of national development， and the perceptions of “happiness” differ with different people as well. Even for the same person， expectations for life evolve as they move from one phase of development to the next.

For people in hardship and impoverished regions， a good life is about affluence； people in developed areas are generally betteroff， but are vexed by deteriorating natural environment. What they aspire for， among other things， are clean water and a blue sky. This disparity in the understanding of a good life results in the variety of peoples needs， and is the unfailing motivation to keep them moving forward.

Our efforts to create a better life need the guidance of right thoughts and traction of the right policies. In recent years the central leadership with Xi Jinping at the core has adhered to the people-centered development， and rolled out a slew of measures that bring tangible benefit to the people. We are getting closer to a better life with the passing of every day.

As no pie will fall from the sky， a good life has to be created by all members of society who exert themselves. Without hard work， a good life will be no more than a mirage.

How to Acquire Genuine Knowledge？

Life Week Issue No. 4， 2018

People have more spare time nowadays， but face greater pressures in life. Since the outbreak of the global financial crisis， globalization and the advancement of technologies are wiping out low-tech jobs and raising the technological bar for new jobs. Not long ago people in any part of the world could learn a skill， and live on it for the rest of their lives. Nowadays， in a fast changing world of information and technology， we must remain in the Beta state all our lives and stand ready to dive into all sorts of realms of study that may be unrelated with each other.

The path to success， happiness， and wealth is now paved not with domes of classics， but information providing apps like Zhihu and Ximalaya， who promise broader learning， higher cognitive ability， and better positioning in life. The users of course have to pay for them.

Why are Chinese people so obsessed with learning？ Is our anxiety about learning wellgrounded or artificially created？ In addition to capital， what aspects of the psyche and technical conditions have stoked this learning spree？ And what kind of knowledge can truly prepare us for this age of drastic changes？

Why Is Scientific Parenting So Difficult？

Xinmin Weekly Issue No. 4， 2018

As the “one child” generation reaches the age of starting families， especially after the introduction of the “second child” policy， the issue of care for children under three years old has become a concern of the nation.

The first three years of life are critical for the development of a childs cognitive ability and habits， and good， systematic education over this period has lasting benefits. Parents are the first teachers of their kids， but have little time to do so if both work. The mantle of care giver is therefore taken over by grandparents， whose knowledge of child rearing is often obsolete. Whats more， anticipating fierce academic competition at later ages， young parents enroll their toddlers in various courses such as English and math， passing their anxiety to innocent children.

The upbringing of children under three years old is to some extent significant for the future of the nation. All parts of society should work out a consensus on how to provide them the best care possible.

Spring Comes for Online Healthcare

China Financial Weekly Issue No. 2， 2018

The past year was a watershed for online healthcare service businesses. Following explosive growth in 2014， fueled by an influx of capital， the sector had slipped into recession by the second half of 2016， as its orientation – building a connection between doctors and patients –didnt address acute problems in the healthcare industry. With many businesses cutting jobs or closing down outright， the sector entered a chilly winter.

In March 2017， defying pessimistic naysayers， 17 Internetbased hospitals opened offices in Yinchuan City， Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. They provide services like online diagnosis， prescription and medical insurance payment， with the intention of establishing a circular system that covers medical care， medicinal， and insurance services.

These online platforms help brick-and-mortar hospitals to explore the possibility of offering online health services and at the same time， boost the platformsprofitability.

Supported by huge customer and doctor reserves and lavish investment， several “unicorns”and “unicorns in making” have joined the fray. Inputs have seen returns， and public listing is within reach.