Just finished talking with a friend on the phone, this friend, who graduated as a top student and got a job that many people would kill for right after then, complained about his life, that his boss is a workaholic, most of his colleagues have MBA degrees from western universities, so he is feeling so much pressure, and thus he wants to go to the top 10 business school too.
This is why I might never be an entrepreneur, but I never wanted to go to Harvard or Walton, just as I never admired people who get to study in Peking or Tsinghua University, the best universities in China, cause I don’t think I will be happy in those schools, and I doubt whether this friend would be satisfied when he sit in a class in Harvard, or work in the best investment bank in the world after graduation.

Our world is developing so fast by the force of human beings, but to keep the pace with the development seems not easy, some times really makes people out of breath. Yes, the quality of our life is getting better, we have internet, fast vehicles, fancy places for shopping and hanging out, spaceship heading to other planets.... but are we really happier than before?

My grandma didn't finish primary school; when she was 16 years old, she wore cheong-sam, red nail polish, ear rings, finger rings, my grandpa fell in love with her at the first sight, and they got married then. When I was 16 years old, I wore fat and long school uniforms, short stupid hair, no any kind of rings, and turned down the boy I liked because I was told study was all I should have at that time.

When I was in primary school, I played together with friends after school, at weekends and during vacations, chasing around, digging holes, climbing trees, and even burning paper. My 12-year old cousin spend most of her vacations and weekends in English tutoring classes, and gave up painting class, though she was one of the best in that class. I asked her why, she said that every one else in school was taking such after school English tutorship, so she had to do it too, or she would fall behind, and so she had to gave up painting.

So I am wondering, with more and more pressure and tough competition, are we really happier, from the bottom of heart? Seems we can never get a chance to take a break before we get old. The competition makes kids give up spare time to learn all kinds of "skills" they may have no interest in, brings young grown ups anxieties about their career, their future… forces married couples to break their heads on how to make their kids adjusted better to the society. Every one's saying "I am busy, I am busy, I am busy".

Then when we get old, we may recall what we've been through and find out the whole life is actually spend for a competition that nobody can finally win. Isn't it ridiculous?