It's the lack of hardship in some young peoples lives that leads to this, not just in Asian countries. The western NEETs that live all day on Twitter engaging in slacktivisim for example. If you've never HAD to work hard because you were born into a comfortable life, doing any work to build up something for yourself is "Too much effort, too hard, what's the point?".
True - perhaps it's coming from different angle in western country's case. Of course, society itself has cradled people in a way... like the G. Michael Hopf quote "Hard times creat strong men..."
One of my co-worker is actually from Afghanistan. He came over in 80s - like the movie "Kite Runner" - had to escape from his own home near Kabul at night, went over to India (He's Hindu, and I believe they were being persecuted back then). His family settled in Detroit, and he worked & studied art and became a cab driver - till he finally landed the job where I work. He's very driven person and exceptionally hard worker. He's about 10 years older than I am, and when I started working my job about 20+ years ago - he had his son born that year. Over the years, he has working to support his own family and his own extended family as the eldest of the sons to the extent that I can't even imagine myself doing... but his son, somehow became a neet. Dropped out of college, quite jobs in the middle, resorting to games and occasional hang-out with his friends, while still living with his parents to this date. Apparently, according to my coworker and his wife, it's not that uncommon for boys to do so these days... and that was pretty shocking to hear. (His daughter, though is doing just fine - socially & academically)
Another example, actually is my own cousin who is also an immigrant who came to U.S. when he was about 3 years old back in 60s. Super driven person, but very elitist. Himself is a millionaire being a very famous medical doctor, lives in same town as very famous musician in NJ - I sometimes visit his mansion. He's much older than I am - I guess he's more of very late boomer - and have children & beautiful wife. Girls are all doing fine - both of them went to Ivy league college - but his only son, my cousin always showed concern of him not showing any enthusiasm to achieve something... that how our generation were so driven (shrug) to do anything - but him, with all this wealth and comfort can't achieve any higher etc. I do think he's being way too harsh on the kid (as he thinks anything under than Columbia is garbage - as the kid just went decent state univ with music degree - and he thinks medical degree is the best, etc. Heck, I'm a freaking mystery creature to him - whom graduated a small town college in Iowa with a useless (!) fine art degree, coming to U.S. alone and made myself in NYC without family support - he calls me an American success story, but to be honest, I was just surviving, and still feel like I am. In fact, I haven't taken a single vacation say other than company assigned holidays for 2 years now... and feeling the corporate burn myself.)
The way I see about Japan's Satori generation coming from their long standing economic staggering for past 30 years since its bubble burst - but as per the Korea or China... I think it comes from too much competition for limited resources. Many of young Koreans that I know work and study to get the certificates and other requirements like TOEIC to go into desireable jobs (namely government jobs, big name companies, doctors, lawyers etc) - yet they can't even afford to get an apartment in Seoul or anyplace near by. In terms of Beijing - even if you graduate from top universities - it's quite difficult, if not impossible to afford a house.. like they'd have to save their entire salary for 40+ years to afford one. Seoul being 29 years, Tokyo being 15 years, and NYC being 10 years.. according to a stat site "Numbeo" That says alot... and I honestly don't blame some of them wanting to opt out and find alternative way. In a sense, many of regular folks want to find alternative way for their own comfort - like after pandemic, most people want to do remote work in U.S. (like 60%) - according to a news that I heard today on the radio.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadesh...outrageously-expensive-homes/?sh=566f599aa3ce
Here's an article from forbes regarding the housing market. Imagine being a college graduate, came from poorer rural part, which is basically the most of the country, trying to make a living and afford to buy a home for his family. We are talking about GDP per capita is around $10,500... and typical university grad salary being little over $10k. Also good workplace and education system tend to be concentrated in the big cities like Beijing and Seoul - people just flock to them like fire flies... to certain extent, I think Seoul and Beijing's property price will keep going higher, even when the population of their nations tank and their economy shrinks... until it becomes catastrophic level. IMHO, western NEETs and Asian N-po/Tang ping/Nei Juan are on a different level entirely. I'm sure there are western style NEETs in Asian countries too. I know a few, but most of them are born in a really rich family and living off their family wealth on their whim, doing whatever they want to do... hardly struggling. However, I also know that they are not the common type of people as vast majority of young folks struggle day to day to get ahead in those countries... and honestly, I feel sorry for the young folks who try so hard and still struggling.
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