20 Years On, Chinese Youth Forget Tiananmen

It's now been 20 years since the Chinese army rolled into Tiananmen Square, killing hundreds of students in the final push to put down a growing democracy movement. Beijing is anxious as the June 4 anniversary of the massacre approaches; Google "Tiananmen" in Beijing and you'll likely find pages blocked. But as the Los Angeles Times reports, apathy among today's youth, more than censorship, has made the events of 1989 recede.

"Our generation doesn't feel so much pressure as our parents," said one student, who admitted he was "not too clear" about the Tiananmen protests. Some dismayed older activists call today's youth "the stupid generation." But many young Chinese know about 1989 and simply don't care. "For me right now, I feel satisfied with my life, my country. I seldom think about politics," said one young woman.
(More China stories.)