A man in Shiyan, Hubei province who lived alone for 14 years after graduation and never worked was recently found dead. He was suspected to starve to death as he did not work or even cook. The reason of his death has yet been confirmed, but the sad life and death of the former pride of his village is a tragedy deserving reflection, says an article on people.com.cn. Excerpts:

The death of this university graduate may be a solitary incident, but we should be aware it is not only a tragedy for the individual and his family, but also a sad reflection on our education system and the whole of society.

A survey has found that currently about 30 percent of young people in this country rely on their parents for support.

This begs the question: Why do so many of our college students fail to adapt to work and become economically independent?

The primary reason is that family life and the education system fail to cultivate independence. Suppressing and restricting children's normal behavior prevents them developing independence and confidence. Worse, parents' excessive arrangements for children deprive children of the ability to adapt.

Instead of sociable men and women with mature personalities, the education system churns out young people who know how to take exams but who are unable to handle social relations of any kind.

With the rapid changes transforming the country, some young people become misfits because they lack the capacity to cope and so behave abnormally.

That no one noticed this young man's strange behavior or knew how to guide him out of his 14-year seclusion has ended in tragedy.

The existence of stay-at-homes has changed from a family phenomenon to a social issue, which may become a threat to future family life. It is our responsibility to ensure that the defects in education and society are fixed so that future students are able to adjust to the responsibilities of adult life.

(China Daily 03/22/2012 page9)