Technology and Global Society: What the Internet Means to Youths in Rural Areas of Vietnam

In 1997, the first time Vietnam was connected to the Internet. Since then, it has expanded more and more rapidly in the country. Generally, of all age groups of the population, the youth have made the best use of the worldwide network. However, there is a gap between urban and rural youths in access to the Internet. Why is the Internet still strange to the majority of these people? To what extent are youths in rural areas of Vietnam approaching the Internet? This essay aims at answering these questions.

According to the Survey Assessment of Vietnamese Youth, which was carried out by WHO, UNICEF and some domestic organisations in 2005, 50.2% of urban youths have access to the Internet, while the figure for rural youths is 12.8%.

Behind the gap between figures are socio-economic gaps. Firstly, the infrastructure for the Internet has not been provided for many remote areas. One reason is geographical conditions of these areas. It costs the government much to expand Internet lines to distant or mountainous regions. Besides, priorities are often given to central cities because of their relative geo-political significance. Secondly, economic hardship keeps rural youths away from the Internet. Many rural families even cannot manage to meet basic needs of life such as food and clothing, let alone such luxuries as a computer and Internet service. Though the price of Internet service in Vietnam is one of the cheapest in the world, it is relatively high to average income level of people in rural areas. Thirdly, young people in rural regions do not have as much time for the Internet as those in cities. After school time, rural youths take over agricultural work of their families and housework. Whereas, many rural youths, especially those of upper middle and high income families, are free from those manual tasks. Instead, their parents or maids are the ones who take over housework.

In fact, a minority of young people in rural areas of Vietnam have some access to Internet services mainly provided by private Internet agencies. However, to these people, the Internet is mostly a source of entertainment rather than information. They mainly use it for chatting and games. Though in general, the majority of young Internet users in Vietnam still use the Internet mainly for these purposes, the figure for those in rural areas is nearly absolute.  In this case, the gap is not only access but also the extent of taking advantage of the Internet. There are some reasons for the difference. Firstly, rural youths lack the skill to make use of the Internet. While school training is zero, these youths also do not have frequent access to computers and the Internet. Therefore, they have little chance to explore the network to pick up experiences by themselves. Secondly, rural youths do not have as many channels of recreation as urban peers. Thus, once introduced, chatting and computer games have been extremely appealing to young people in rural areas.

In conclusion, there is a big difference between rural and urban youths in accessing and making use of the Internet in Vietnam. This gap is certain to lead to gaps in knowledge and information as well as opportunities in study and employment.

Reference list:

WHO, UNICEF, Vietnam Ministry of Health and Vietnam General Statistics Office. (2005). Survey Assessment of Vietnamese Youth. Hanoi: UNICEF Vietnam.

Energy and Ecology: How low income families in Vietnam cook

Gas cookers and microwave ovens are common among most upper middle and upper class families in urban areas in Vietnam. Yet, lower income families, especially those in rural areas, do not cook in such efficient and safe ways. Indeed, these families often use solid fuels such as coal, firewood and agricultural residues. Basically, rural families have been cooking in this way for hundreds of years. I will explain the significant reasons for this commonness and point out the impacts of this cooking method on environment and health of users.

In my opinion, the use of solid fuels in cooking can be explained by social and economic factors. The first reason itself lies in income levels of these families. In Vietnam, most rural people work in agricultural sector. Furthermore, long in history, rural people have managed to live within limited budget, especially during underdevelopment time. Therefore, they have developed a tradition of frugality, making use of every resource on hand. The case of low income urban families is different. They must cope with relatively high living expenses in cities. Three months ago, the price of gas in Vietnam reached a record peak following the trend of global increase. During the time of gas price rise, many lower middle income families who once used gas cooker have turned to coal cooker as a cheaper alternative. The second reason is the availability of these fuels in rural areas. After harvest time, peasants have abundant agricultural residues. As well, firewood can be easily cut down or collected from local woods or flooding rivers. Another reason is that rural families in Vietnam have little access to modern economical cooking equipments such as the solar cooker. Manufacturers have not reached this remote market and NGOs can only provide these equipments for a small minority.

Though seemingly economical, solid fuels cost serious health and environmental problems. In rural areas, families often cook with open fire. In many households, kitchens are poorly ventilated. Some families in both rural and urban areas even put a burning charcoal cooker in main rooms of their houses to cook and warm at the same time. Consequently, many people in rural families suffer long-lasting respiratory and optical illnesses. More seriously, some families have been found unconscious or even dead because of poisonous gas released by a charcoal cooker in a closed room. Besides health problems, solid fuel cookers make the environment suffer from toxic gases and deforestation.

In conclusion, many low income families in rural and urban areas of Vietnam are cooking by solid fuels, which are seemingly money saving but environmentally unfriendly and dangerous to health. The use of cooking fuels, in this case, shows an aspect of social stratification. Those of lower social and income status have lower living standards. They hardly have access to safe and efficient means of cooking. Some also lack basic knowledge to protect themselves from dangers such as toxic gases. Therefore, they are put under higher risks of health problems and even fatality.  

Population and Health: Imbalanced Sex Ratio at Birth – Some Comparisons between China and Vietnam

China now has the biggest imbalance in sex ratio at birth, calculated by the number of baby boys over 100 baby girls. According to Li (2007), the average sex ratio at birth in China in 2005 was 120.5. Of all of the regions in China, the highest ratio was 122.9 for rural areas. The normal ratio, according to UNFPA, is between 103 and 107. The ratio in China by far has exceeded the normal level.

Vietnam seems to be repeating the pattern of China. Recently, it has been alerted that the sex ratio at birth in Vietnam is becoming more unbalanced. The ratio has increased from 110 in 2006 to 112 in 2007 (UNFPA, 2008).

I would like to make a comparison in the causes and consequences of this situation in the two countries. Do similarities in culture play any part in causing the phenomenon? Will its social impacts be the same for Vietnam in the future as for China at present?

In my opinion, the root cause for the imbalance of sex ratio at birth in both countries is patriarchy. Both cultures are strongly influenced by Confucianism, in which the dominant role of the man in the family is emphasized. The man is supposed to be the breadwinner of his family. Also, in tradition way of thinking in both countries, parents can only rely on economic support from sons when they reach old age. As daughters get married, they have belonged to another family. These perspectives lead to a common tendency to prefer sons in both Chinese and Vietnamese society. Son preference, combined with the easy availability of means to determine the sex of fetuses such as ultrasound screening, causes many families to abort female fetus and only keep male ones.

Besides patriarchy, family planning policy is another factor that has contributed to the situation in China and Vietnam. To combat rapid population growth, both countries have adopted family planning policies for decades. Since the 1970s, the Chinese government has advocated couples to have only one child. Those in rural areas can have two in necessary cases. Couples are to be fined if they have more than one. Similarly, the Vietnamese government has encouraged couples to have only one or two children since the 1980s. The policy is strictly enforced to all citizens. For example, if a Communist Party member has more than two children, he will be formally criticized by the political organisation. As well, if a member of the state security force violates the policy, he will be demoted. It is clear that the family planning policies of both governments have been strictly adopted as they have involved economic and political rights of citizens. Forced to have only one or two child at most, son preferring parents easily choose to have a baby of the preferred sex.

Unbalanced sex ratio at birth is certain to have social impacts on both societies. While the Chinese have experienced the miserable consequences of the problem, it will take about fifteen to twenty years for the implications to manifest in Vietnam society. However, looking at the situations in China, one can make some predictions about what will happen in Vietnam. There may be repeated consequences but I still doubt if the drama will be exactly the same.

First, in China, there are now a large number of male bachelors. Not only men of lower social and income status can hardly find their partners but successful men even face this problem. Similarly, in the future, many Vietnamese men are likely to have difficulties in finding someone to get married. Those who never get married will certainly have no son or daughter to rely on when they get old. This will also put a pressure on the governments to provide welfare services for single old people.

Second, there is a wave of migrating or trafficked brides into China. The brides are from poorer neighbour countries such as Vietnam and Burma. On one hand, this is considered a replacement of the domesticated missing girls. On the other hand, when women are trafficked to become wives, it is a crime against them. However, I doubt if the same will happen in Vietnam. Most Vietnamese families find it hard to accept a foreign bride or bridegroom, especially rural families. To them, a woman who cannot speak Vietnamese fluently and has been brought up in a different society will have difficulties in joining Vietnamese social patterns and taking care of families in traditionally expected ways.  Moreover, many rural families are too poor to afford a foreign bride. Also, to men of higher social status, will they want to marry a woman of lower status from a foreign country?

Besides these two consequences, some warnings can be true for both societies. It is predicted that there will be an increase in sexual crimes such as rape. This is a possible prediction as it is based on biological nature of human. Further, when many couples get married without true affection but merely because they have few choices of partners or because it is an arrangement of their parents, there is a risk of domestic conflict. Therefore, spouse violence and divorces are likely to happen. However, these are only predictions. It needs to be tested by research if there is any causal relation between imbalanced sex ratio in society and the rise of these social problems.

In conclusion, the situation of imbalanced sex ratio at birth in Vietnam resembles what happened in China ten years ago. The situation has taken place in both countries for similarities in traditional culture and governments’ family planning policies. It may also have some similar social impacts but differences in socio-economic conditions and traditional ways of thinking may lead to different impacts of the same phenomenon in each country.

Reference List

Hu, H. (2002, October 18). Family Planning Law and China’s Birth Control Situation . Retrieved October 17, 2008, from www.china.org.cn: http://www.china.org.cn/english/2002/Oct/46138.htm

Li, S. (2007). Imbalanced Sex Ratio at Birth and Comprehensive Intervention in China. 4th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights. Hyderabad: UNFPA.

UNFPA. (2008). Viet Nam Population 2007. Hanoi: UNFPA.

Urbanisation: What are the Social Impacts of the Plan to Expand the Capital Hanoi on Lives of People living in the Merged Provinces?

The Vietnamese government has passed a project to expand the capital Hanoi in the next 40 years. In fact, this project has been put into practice. As part of the plan, some districts of two neighbour provinces and the whole area of another neighbour province have been merged to the current area of Hanoi since the 1^st August, 2008. This historical change in territory is likely to exert enormous impacts on lives of people living in the merged provinces.

According to the Ministry of Construction, the main purposes of this plan are to provide conditions to exploit the capital’s potentials so that it will become one of the urban centers in the South East Asia and to solve key problems of the capital such as overpopulation, environmental pollution and disorderly accommodation. To achieve these purposes, the area of the capital has been planned to expand 3.6 times from the current area of 912 km² to about 3,300 km² in 2008 and will be expanded 14 times in the next 40 years. At the 2008 stage, the plan will focus on developing economic and industrial centers, traffic and transportation systems and apartment complexes in various parts of the “new” capital. Before implementation, this plan was subject of great controversy among citizens as well as those in authorities over its practicability and the dramatic changes it might bring about in the spheres such as administration, culture and town planning. One of the central matters in this controversy was the social impacts of the plan on lives of people currently living in rural areas which have been planned to develop into towns.

In my opinion, there will be three significant impacts on the lives of these people.

In the first place, they will have more access to public services such as formal education, health care and telecommunication. Planning to develop these places into urban areas, the government must build more hospitals, schools and telecommunication infrastructure. In terms of public services, the standard of living in these places will be improved.

In the second place, their economic life is certain to be influenced. Most people in these rural areas are working in agricultural sector, in which soil is a basic means of production. However, with the development of new towns, the area of agricultural land is to be decreased considerably. The government needs large areas to construct industrial centers, apartment complexes and transportation systems. Another reason is that many people in these areas are tempted by huge profits of selling land because once becoming parts of the capital, the price of land here will certainly increase higher and higher. In the case of the people who must give their land to the government for future construction, though they are given compensation, it cannot replace the land to generate income for in the long term. What will happen next after they have spent all of the compensation? Furthermore, most of these people are not professional or trained laborers. Therefore, they will have little employment chances or will have to work in positions with low wages in new industries in their areas. In this way, they are put under risk of poverty in the future.

In the third place, their cultural life will be affected. Having a rustic lifestyle since childhood, these rural people are to be influenced by the streams of popular culture of cities? Will they be flooded? Or will they be dislocated? Besides, as part of town planning, people in some areas will be relocated to new habitations. This will damage the traditional relationship among people in villages and related community activities such as cultural rituals and festivals and traditional handicraft industries.

In conclusion, with the expansion of the capital Hanoi, one the one hand, people in the rural districts of merged provinces will benefit from better public services. On the other hand, they may be put under risk of poverty and affected by revolutionary culture changes.

Reference:

-         Trang An Nguyen. 2008. “Vung Thu do Ha Noi se rong 13.436 km², gom 8 tinh, TP” (“Hanoi capital region will be 13.436km², including 8 provinces and cities”). Vietnamnet, March 3^rd, 09:19.

http://www.vnn.vn/xahoi/2008/03/772387/

Globalized Identity: What are the Implications of the Precepts of the Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh for Dealing with Global Conflicts?

There is an undeniable fact that religious identity has proved to be the motivation or justification for many conflicts in human history. However, this is only one side of the matter. On the other hand, it can bring the power to deal with or suggest peaceful solutions to conflicts. The Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the religious leaders in the world who has proved this truth. His Buddhism-based nonviolence principles are clearly shown in his 14 precepts, which bear significant implications for handling conflicts in the world.

Before analyzing those implications, I would like to highlight some important points in his biography. Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the most influential Zen masters in the world, whose life has been devoted to the welfare of people. During the Vietnam War, he established an organisation called the School of Youth Social Service to help war victims. He also proposed peaceful reconciliation between governments of the North and the South of Vietnam so that the country’s people would no longer suffer. However, he was exiled by both governments during the war and later when the country was united. Thich Nhat Hanh then continued to dedicate his life to peace and human rights. He established a meditation community in France called the Plum Village, where monks from different countries now stay, study Buddhism and help people in need. He has also written many books and traveled to several countries to deliver talks and courses on peace and mindfulness. These activities have been based on his principles of nonviolence, which are reflected in the 14 precepts.

Although the precepts are seemingly aimed at individuals, in my opinion, many of them hold some major implications for the matter of preventing and solving global conflicts.

Firstly, the precepts encourage an open mind attitude.

Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. All systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.

Do not think that the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non-attachment from views in order to be open to receive others’ viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout our entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times.

The two precepts imply that people should not stick to their current beliefs but be willing to learn new lessons and that truth lies in reality.

Do not maintain anger or hatred. As soon as anger and hatred arise, practice the meditation on compassion in order to deeply understand the persons who have caused anger and hatred. Learn to look at other beings with the eyes of compassion.

This is an advice on sympathy and tolerance. People should be willing to get to understand others’ perspectives. This drives people away from extreme viewpoints of identity such as extremist nationalism and ethnocentrism.

A distinctive aspect of the Zen master’s approach to interpersonal peace should be emphasized at this point. Thich Nhat Hanh believes that mutual sympathy and tolerance can be achieved on the basis of inner peace. For example, considering the Palestine – Israel conflict, besides political strategies and intellect, he thinks that the practice of mindful breathing and walking can calm the bodies and feelings of the leaders before peace conferences. In this way, inner peace can lead to interpersonal peace as leaders are likely to listen to each other with compassion. This is typical of Buddhist psychological principles. Though it is idealistic when applied to national communities as a whole instead of the leaders as individuals, the approach indicates the Zen master’s efforts to seek nonviolence alternatives aimed at individuals to solve international conflicts.

Secondly, some of the precepts promote peaceful reconciliation and democracy.

Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.

This precept can be an implication for governing authorities. The freedom the develop personal views is a human right that should always be respected. At the same time, Thich Nhat Hanh suggests a method to communicate one’s own viewpoint and to retreat people – compassionate dialogue. Indeed, this is also an effective way to seek sympathy and acknowledgement from those who hold different viewpoints. It is totally contrary to violent imposition of ideas or terrorist expression of desires. Besides, to Thich Nhat Hanh, peaceful reconciliation does not necessarily mean retreat from frank speech of truth and justice in any cases.

…Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.

This was exactly what he did during the Vietnam War. He put every efforts to speak in favour of peace though exiled by both governments in Vietnam.

Thirdly, in his precepts, Thich Nhat Hanh, religion should not be a tool to gain political or economic power. In this way, he influences Buddhist follwers to avoid violence caused or justified by religious identity.

Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community should, however, take a clear stand against oppression and injustice, and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.

Right from the first days of working as a peace and human rights activist, Thich Nhat Hanh followed this principle. During Vietnam War, his nonviolence campaign was implemented without adopting either ideologies.

In conclusion, with 14 precepts among many other works of literature, morals and religion, Thich Nhat Hanh has proved that religion can bring power to solve global conflicts instead of generating or justifying them.

References:

<!–[if !supportLists]–>- <!–[endif]–>“Plum Village Practice Center: Our Teacher.” The Plum Village Practice Center.

http://www.plumvillage.org/HTML/ourteacher.html

<!–[if !supportLists]–>- <!–[endif]–>“Plum Village Practice Center: The Four of Mindfulness – Transcription of Thầy’s second Dharma talk on July 26th 2001 welcoming the Palestinian -Israeli group.” The Plum Village Practice Center.

http://www.plumvillage.org/HTML/dharmatalks/html/fourfoundationofmindfulness.html

<!–[if !supportLists]–>- <!–[endif]–>“Thich Nhat Hanh”. http://www.seaox.com. Retrieved July 17, 2002.

http://www.seaox.com/thich.html