The sorrow and awkwardness of being born in the 1970s

The 1970s was a simple era, and those born in this period transitioned from a straightforward time into an information age. Among this generation, some have risen to great heights, while others have faced unfulfilled potential; some experience joy, while others endure sorrow. They bear the pressures of life and encounter various experiences. In truth, they are not fundamentally different from individuals born in other eras; it is merely that life has undergone significant changes for them.

They are the last group of people who have seen the black-and-white figures in "Yue Fei," "The Adventures of Tintin," "The Burning Flame of the Golden Sword," and "Seven Swords Down the Tianshan Mountains"

Embarrassment II: After enduring countless hardships to enter the party and government agencies as well as enterprises and institutions, one finds oneself facing layoffs, and what has become of the people

Embarrassing Seven: Who does a beautiful life belong to? Twenty years ago, "It belongs to me, it belongs to you, it belongs to the generation of the 1980s." Twenty years later, the young and fearless of the 1980s do not regard those born in the 1970s with any respect.

They were the last group of people who, in their childhood essays, would invariably refer to phrases like "since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee..." or "the spring breeze of reform..."

It is essential to gather individuals wearing white shirts and blue long pants for the final group before the June 1st festival

Embarrassment Six: Just seeing the current college entrance examination makes me feel uneasy; with police clearing the way and lounges for service, it truly is a far cry from the past. Moreover, the growing pains that went unnoticed back then have now become serious matters placed upon students. Additionally, the early romantic relationships and idol worship that were strictly prohibited at that time are now being "correctly guided" with a much more tolerant attitude.

We are among the last group to have enjoyed the finest domestic animated films—"The Nine-Colored Deer" moves us every time we watch it, "Tian Qi Tan" was our first introduction to the concept of a fox spirit, "Havoc in Heaven" helped us develop our aesthetic sensibilities, "The Forgetful and the Unhappy" combines education with entertainment, "Big Forest and Little Forest" is full of twists and turns, and "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King" is filled with grandeur. "Tian Qi Tan" was our first introduction to the concept of a fox spirit, "Havoc in Heaven" helped us develop our aesthetic sensibilities, "The Forgetful and the Unhappy" combines education with entertainment, "Big Forest and Little Forest" is full of twists and turns, and "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King" is filled with grandeur

The last group of people familiar with such a phrase—"For the revolution—protect eyesight, eye exercises—begin..."

It is the last group of people who play with mud, engage in make-believe games, play with marbles, and take pictures, carrying military water bottles and holding tea eggs during the spring outing

It is the last group of people who, upon graduating from middle school, must sing with tears in their eyes the lyrics from Little Tigers' "Li Ge": "The south wind gently blows again, the time of our gathering is fleeting..." and from "Goodbye": "Please believe that we will definitely meet again tomorrow, just like white clouds cannot be separated from the blue sky..."

Embarrassment Five: The education under a planned economy absolutely stifles individuality. Anyone who wishes to be different from others will not only be disapproved by teachers but also be targeted by classmates. However, as time passes, society requires a generation of youth with individuality, which is the essence of quality education

It is the last group of people who still go to clean the toilets and catch flies and mice during elementary school labor classes

It is the last group that has fully watched Yamaguchi Momoe's "Blood Suspicion" series, constantly checking for red spots on their arms and worrying that they might also develop leukemia; oh, why is it all Japanese goods, I apologize, however, the Harajuku enthusiasts of that time were indeed much more pure in their mindset than those of today

It is the last group that can recite the Five Talks, Four Beauties, and Three Loves fluently, yet they still have not figured out when they can become a person with Four Haves

It is quite embarrassing: after much effort to gain admission to university, not only is there no guaranteed job placement by the state, but even a bachelor's degree has lost its value.

At the age of 22, you graduated, and your first job paid 1,500 yuan. After becoming a permanent employee, your salary increased to 2,000 yuan, yet you spent every penny without saving anything. After a year of waiting for payday, you switched jobs, and your salary rose to 3,000 yuan. Your clothing became more expensive, and your food improved, but one thing remained unchanged: you still spent every penny. At this time, you started dating, and to support your girlfriend, you had to borrow 1,000 yuan from friends each month. She still found your income insufficient and left you. After some difficulty, you found a neighbor girl, and your relationship flourished. You learned to manage your life and surprisingly managed to save 1,000 yuan a month. However, just as you were envisioning a future together, her family disapproved, and they separated you. Determined to succeed, you worked hard, and your salary finally increased to 6,000 yuan. You became a white-collar worker, began drinking, and pursued beautiful women, tipping them 100 yuan. One day, you encountered your ex-girlfriend on the street and found it strange how you ever liked her, as she had such poor taste.

Those who were fortunate enough to enjoy the most pure and captivating Japanese animated films until the last moment, who can still recite a verse from the theme song of "Astro Boy" at the age of 80, and who can recall the little lion LEO, the Flower Fairy, Li Jiawen, Mimi, Laifu, Miss Nana, the Smurfs, the Witch, Longzi Taro, Ikkyu, and Little Yezi, as well as Youwei Men at the age of 90, consider themselves to have witnessed the finest animated films

At the age of 30, you had savings of 100,000 yuan, but you felt very tired and wanted to find a place where you could sleep soundly. So you got married, and your savings turned into a loan, with a monthly repayment of 4,000 yuan. However, your combined income with your wife was 10,000 yuan, and you did not feel tired at all. Years passed, and you paid off the loan and saved an additional 50,000 yuan. Your child grew to six years old, and you did not want him to repeat your life, so you wanted to send him abroad. However, they quoted you 200,000 yuan, and you secretly cursed, "These greedy foreigners." Although the wish was good, without money, it was all in vain, and your child remained in the country, growing up to 22 years old.

Individuals born in the 1970s are at most 37 years old and at least 28 years old. As a song goes: "We are helpless, because we exist, we exist, www.hetushucom.com it is indeed helpless, we were born in the 1970s"

At the last round of school meetings, there was an awkward silence, and for no particular reason, someone started singing "No flowers fragrance, no tall trees"

It was the last group of people who, after watching "Attack No. 1," became extremely anxious during the China-Japan volleyball matches, fearing that the Japanese team had truly mastered the skills of lightning strikes and meteors, potentially snatching away the Chinese women's volleyball team's five consecutive championships

At the age of 60, you retired. Your son was getting married and asked you for 400,000 yuan. You did not think it was too much; instead, you felt that spending it on your own son was more worthwhile than giving it to outsiders. Year after year, you became less sensitive to numbers, except for your own age. Sometimes, when you lie in bed, you still wonder why you are still so fit. Is it because I took calcium supplements, or does God want me to stay alive?

In 1997, the nationwide cancellation of welfare housing allocation took place, at which time individuals born in the 1970s had just begun their careers

It is the last group reminding oneself to have ideals and beliefs, to study diligently and strive for progress every day. Walking on the road, seeing the square tiles and thinking of playing hopscotch, singing "I Love Beijing Tiananmen" while jumping rubber bands, saving 5 yuan every month in hopes of visiting Tiananmen after graduating from elementary school

It is the last group that was once infatuated with Fei Xiang, deeply sympathizing with those who are still considered young and have unjustly borne the blame for the Daxing'anling fire disaster

Embarrassment Four: In childhood, we are taught to be honest children, yet in adulthood, we are compelled to smoke fake cigarettes, drink fake alcohol, and tell lies. We have fallen victim to those who hold fake diplomas, signed our names on counterfeit tickets, and the most disheartening part is that even watching a football match involves fake games

Born in the 1970s, they are the last group of such individuals

It is the last group of boys and girls who clearly have mutual feelings for each other, yet pretend to be disgusted, carving a line on the desk to separate themselves

I am among the last fortunate individuals to have witnessed many of Hong Kong's TVB martial arts dramas—at that time, I was in elementary school, and those even younger could not comprehend them. Watching Angela Mao in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" made us revere her, who passed away too soon, as a deity. "The Twins of Brothers" turned us into lifelong fans of Tony Leung. The golden age of these dramas during that period was unparalleled, with no predecessors or successors.

The awkwardness of the '80s: Those born in the 1970s were seen as a rebellious generation in the eyes of those from the 1960s, while in the eyes of those from the 1980s, they are considered just as outdated as those from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Born in an era that emphasized ideals, yet forced to live in a reality-focused age, this generation's greatest embarrassment lies in this contradiction

This is the last group of such girls—As the spring breeze grows warmer, despite having long felt an itch in their hearts, they stubbornly hold back and observe one another. As summer vacation approaches and they can no longer endure the wait, they finally agree to wear skirts together the next day. Whoever breaks this promise will be considered a little dog.

They are the last group of individuals who experienced the enlightenment of computer education and were familiar with the BASIC programming language; they are also the last group who have the childhood experience of going to others' homes to watch television, stubbornly refusing to go home, and facing punishment from their parents.