debate-topics-new.doc

1.Should we celebrate foreign festivals?An increasing number of Chinese people, particularly the young, are more willing to celebrate Western festivals. Why are Western festivals popular in China?Guests are all cosplay-dressed in a Halloween party at Kempinski Hotel in Xiamen, Fujian province on Oct 31Cherish your own festivals. It would be a pity if the Chinese accepted these Western days first, because they have absolutely nothing to do with traditional Chinese culture. Second, they are a big con trick by the big stores to get more money out of you. If they can convince you to buy Christmas trees and presents, and Valentines Day gifts and Easter eggs and . then they will make a lot more money. Stick to your own festivals-they actually mean something to you- rather than slavishly following western customs for no good reason.I enjoy the happy atmosphere of both Chinese and Western festivals. As long as it is meaningful for me, I will celebrate it with my boyfriend, and my parents! I like Western festivals and often celebrate them without even knowing the origins of them. Why? Because what I really appreciate is just the happy atmosphere.2.Should parents pay for college tuition?Chinese parents will sacrifice almost everything they have for their childrens education. Most parents are willing to pay all of their college costs. So the question is, are parents obligated to pay college tuition for their kids to attend college?I was born in China to two highly-educated parents. When we came to America when I was 9, my parents told me that all they wanted me to do was do well in school and life. I was expected to get good grades and participate and excel in extra-curricular activities as well.They also made it clear to me that they did not want me to take out loans for college. They encouraged me to get part-time jobs for the sake of gaining experience, but they didnt want me to be stressed about finance. Not only did they want to pay for college, they also wanted to pay for law school. I am so grateful to them.In Chinese culture, parents are dedicated to their children for their entire lifetime. Duty doesnt end when a child becomes an adult. Its incomprehensible why parents would kick out a child after high school and throw them into a world without support.I believe that a parent does not owe the child a college education. My parents told me from a young age that I would have to pay for my own college, not because they couldnt, but because they wanted me to value my education and take it seriously. Im currently in my second semester of college, and Ive managed to stay debt free thus far, but I do take my schooling much more seriously then if my parents had just shelled out money whenever I needed it.Zhang Yejia, a model at the 11th Chinajoy, an expo for digital products, takes a selfie in Shanghai, July 27, 2013. Zhang, a student at Shanghai Maritime University, works part time as a show model.If you decide to have a child, it is your responsibility to take care of that child. They didnt ASK to be brought into the world. So the idea that a parent owes their child nothing isnt exactly true (you owe them food, shelter, love, etc). That being said, I think that if your child decides to do something (join a sports team, get a car, go to college) that is something that the parent DOES NOT owe the child. But then comes the question of whether or not you owe your kid a good life, which is virtually impossible these days without a college education. Maybe a parent just owes the child the knowledge and resources to make good decisions about paying for college or offering an alternative option?3. Does poverty draw family and friends closer?Some people claim poor people tend to know each other in more intimate ways than folks in high-income brackets, but some argue that in many cases poverty tears families apart. Does poverty draw family and friends closer to each other?It depends upon the people involved and their beliefs, society and customs. Wealth is desired in just about every culture on earth. As to it bringing happiness, thats debatable and again it depends on the people involved, there are no hard and fast rules or guidelines.I do not believe poverty draws family and friends closer to each other. I think anyone who assumes that is looking at a few cases of happy families that by chance are not as concerned with money as others around them. I think poverty is more likely to rip family and friends apart.4.Do reality TV shows do more good than harm?Reality TV shows have become hugely popular among Chinese audiences over the past few years. Some people think reality TV shows do more good than harm, but some dont buy this idea.Most of the reality shows play with feelings of the people invited and the viewers. Some are real, many are inspired or just played. I hate shows that play on emotions, especially ones that expose the participants emotions they didnt want to expose, but are efficiently manipulated to do it.Reality TV shows are very popular with audiences of all ages and types. Most viewers want to be entertained and to escape for a while from the worries and boredom of their everyday life. Therefore, there is no harm in giving the people what they want. Besides, they exploit new technology so that millions of people can participate in them typically by voting.5. Can money buy you happiness?Happiness is something that everyone craves for, but how to go about attaining it? Can money make you happy?Yes, I do think money can buy happiness if it is used humbly by the right person. For instance, someone who donates money for the good of others, uses money to start a satisfying business venture, quits their job to spend more time with their family can all lead to happiness.However, if used the wrong way like buying stuff, showing off to others, being reclusive those can all lead to unhappiness. Its funny though when you look at all the studies of people who win the lottery and very few, if any of them, are actually happier afterwards. It really makes you wonder.Money buys possessions. It doesnt buy happiness. And the problem with possessions is that you never have enough. Once you get the new car, you want something better next time. I once had an extremely well-paying job - I was probably in the top five percent or so of earners. But I was miserable. Now I earn less than a third of what I once did, and I couldnt be happier. It is not things that make us happy - they just make us want more and better things. I found the secret to happiness is to be happy in your personal relationship, and to just be happy. You can be poor and happy, or you can be rich and miserable. I will take poor and happy any day.I do believe money can create happiness in certain aspects and to a certain level. Not having to worry about rent, about buying your children school essentials, clothes, food, etc., about that $600 car that will one day break down on the way to work and get you fired, etc will make you happy to a certain extent. But money cant make you totally happy. You have to make the effort to surround yourself with people you love, doing things that you love, enriching the lives of your children and yourself but in my opinion, you cannot say money does not bring you happiness until you have crossed a certain threshold of poverty where you cant afford even the basics. If the money is used wisely, it will have amazing results.6. Should Golden Week be scrapped?With the week-long National Day holiday around the corner, hundreds of millions of tourists are expected to flood into popular scenic areas across the country, resulting in various problems, such as overcrowding and traffic congestion. Should China rethink its holiday arrangements to help alleviate the holiday crunch? What do you think about Chinas holiday system?I dont think the national holidays need to be rescheduled, shortened or otherwise be tampered with (although personally I feel some of them are too long, such as the National Day holiday weeks).What needs to change is the whole nations outlook on the concept of holidays:Holidays should be taken by each person when they feel it is in their best interest. Every employer should have to pay his or her staff two weeks or more of holiday time to spend as the employee wishes, and when the employee wishes to spend it.Of course, a good many workers will still take holiday on a national holiday, but more and more will choose to plan holiday trips during the off-peak seasons (much cheaper airfare and hotel room rates!).7. Should children be raised by their gran