Purpose and Significance of the Study

With the development of the technology, economy, culture and the diversity of political, the connection between China and America is increasingly close. It is true that cultural communication is the bridge that connects people's hearts and minds from different countries, and a bond that enhances understanding and trust between states. However, as an old saying goes, ”A side water and soil, raises a party person.”, the differences from the diversity of culture can#8217;t be underestimated. We should pay attention to learn more about different cultural values. Family values is the core of researches on cultural value. It influences one#8217;s thought and behavior a lot. So, it is necessary to understand different family values of different countries, thus we can understand the culture of them better.

This paper will focus on the differences between Chinese and American Family values. We always have a stereotype of these two countries#8217; family values. American emphasis individual independence, while Chinese emphasis the integrity of the family. In China, stable lifestyle is recommended by most people. They like to live together. Even when they get married, they choose to live with their parents to rely on them. While in the US, children need to make a living by themselves. Parents will not care about their children a lot, especially intervening in children#8217;s marriage, school work, job and so on.

This kind of percept is accepted by most people. However, time has changed. We should change with them. Since the influence of economy, politics and other factors, Chinese and American values have changed a lot. We need to reexamine the differences between these two values to keep pace with the times.

The phenomenon of the NEET (Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or Training) Group is common in China. Chinese parents always take much care of their jobless children. While, in last few years, this phenomenon appears in America. This paper will restudy the differences between Chinese and American values from this phenomenon. It will give further explanation of differences between these two values.

Cultural differences is caused by the different national cultural,historical background and aesthetic psychology. It is established in the development of the society. It is a kind of permanent cultural phenomenon. So, cultural differences should be further studied by modern society.

Literature Review

The NEET Group stands for "Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or Training" which represents a weird phenomenon in China that the younger generation can't feed themselves even when they are over 30, and they have to live with the allowance from their parents. Most parents take much care of these jobless children. The parents give their children living expenses and buy houses or flats for them. In the early US, this phenomenon was not popular. Usually, when the children is over 18, they need to make a living by themselves. Parents will not care about their children a lot, especially intervening in children#8217;s marriage, school work, job and so on.

Quan, Guoliang and Siqin (2010)described this kind of differences between Chinese and American family values in their paper. Chinese parents will focus their entire love on their only child. They will give their children anything they want to and do everything for their children. No matter how tired they are, how difficulty they make money, they will have the children enjoyed a comfortable life. By doing so, children rely a lot on parents. While in America, parents ask their children to do their own things by themselves. If the children want some money or buy something, the parents will not give them money directly, they must earn it by doing housework or other things. Though it is very easy, the children know how difficult they make money. When the children is old enough, they can have a say in family affair and join to make decisions. The old rule ”children should be seen and heard” is generally broken and they are allowed to do things independently. Parents don#8217;t interfere in what they wish to do. What is said above is what we have learned about the differences about these two countries#8217; family values before. It seemed that the phenomenon of the NEET group only appeared in China, not in America.

However, in Chen Sijin#8217;s (2010) paper, we know that over 41% young American have no safeguard. Many graduates can#8217;t find a job. They could only live with their parents. Even some of them find a job luckily, seven out of ten can#8217;t afford the cost of living because of low income. They have to stay with their parents. The economic crisis forces young American to lower self head to reality. They could only be one of the NEET. Otherwise, they will become the beggars in the street.