A recent survey of people aged 23 to 26 in eight cities has characterized contemporary urban youth as career-minded, confident, optimistic and pursuing individuality. Most of them feel satisfied about their current situations.

It was conducted by Sinomonitor International and Parents Must Read magazine toward the end of 2004 among young people in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xi'an and Shenyang.

Of the 1,040 questionnaires retrieved and analyzed, 53.8 percent were from males and 57.8 percent from only children.

The young people surveyed were not willing to live a mediocre life, whether in the pursuit of a career or in their personal sense of style. About 83.7 percent wished "to reach the top of the career they are engaged in" and 82.7 percent wanted "to become people of unique personal style."

Those with higher incomes and educational levels tended more toward individualistic attitudes, but only 12.5 percent said they "don't care about others' opinions of them."

A clear majority -- 76.3 percent -- believed that they could quickly find another job if they lost their current one. Not surprisingly, the higher the income and education level, the more confidence felt about this. Of those with a college education, the proportion was 82 percent, and 91.5 percent among those whose monthly income was over 3,000 yuan (US$362).

The survey found that 64.9 percent of them wanted "to be regarded as a leader," and once more those with higher education levels and incomes rated this more highly.

Overall, 55.3 percent described themselves as "very satisfied" or "relatively satisfied" with their lives.

In specific areas of life the rates of satisfaction were: 82 percent in health, 76.6 percent in interpersonal relationships, 73.1 percent in family life, 57.8 percent in living standard, 56.7 percent in love life, and 50.4 percent in schoolwork or job prospects.

Degrees of satisfaction were higher in all areas of life amongst only children, apart from in their love lives, which they rated lower than others had.

When it came to the future 81.5 percent felt "very optimistic" or "relatively optimistic" about it. Health was the area of life where most people, 88.1 percent, expressed optimism, but even in the lowest scoring area, schoolwork and job prospects, the proportion was still 72.9 percent.

(China.org.cn by Wang Qian, March 17, 2005)