Communist Party commentators have hit out at mainland youth for idolising 'pop stars and fat cats' instead of a long-dead socialist martyr.
The Beijing Youth Daily yesterday told teenagers to be beware of leading 'unrestrained lives' and to embrace the values of propaganda icon Lei Feng, the mainland's model soldier.
'To our regret, many youngsters have lost the spirit of the Lei Feng era,' the newspaper lamented. 'Money worship is so widespread, some people think Lei Feng is a product of the past.' Lei, a legendary PLA corporal, was proclaimed a socialist martyr by Mao Zedong in 1963 for selfless deeds such as doing his garrison's laundry and donating his pay to peasants.
In a front-page commentary, the newspaper acknowledged that urban teenagers remained indifferent to party-approved role models despite propagandists' recent attempts to revive the Lei Feng cult.
'Young people are failing to enhance their sense of spirituality and ideological thought,' the paper said.
'On the contrary, they have become indulgent and worship pop singers and fat cats.