Everyone is confused by something. No one likes to admit it, but it's true. In a rapidly changing society such as China's, life can be a constant drama, filled with events that lead to, or create, fresh confusion. According to a recent survey, young Chinese aged between 25 and 40 are confused about seven major issues stemming from basic life choices or decisions. Top of the 'confusion list' is a question mainly for married couples: should they have children? Niuniu's friend Beibei has been married for almost 10 years, but children are a subject that had never entered her mind. A recent trip to America, however, made her confront the issue. She was surprised by the fact that American families have an average of 2.4 children. Is it still correct to think Chinese are the most family-oriented people? Probably not. Beibei has her own theory: 'My work is No 1. I feel respected as a corporate vice-president. To be respected is important. I doubt if my kid would respect me even if I gave all of my time to him. All my friends' kids are spoiled brats. 'Another thing is that I need to look beautiful. Chinese women of my generation are so lucky because we can visit department stores, beauty salons, saunas, massage parlours and gyms to make us look good. As long as I'm beautiful, men like me. I don't need the love of a child.' Beibei might sound selfish, but this is a trait shared by many. Like their male counterparts, these women learn to love and admire themselves so much that they find one man's love is not enough. According to the survey, this leads to another area of much confusion: whether to take a lover. Should society be more tolerant of married people with lovers, or should they be condemned? In China, arranged marriages were once the norm, and true love disregarded. Some say Chinese adulterers are torn between seeking love and remaining true to family obligations and that the rising number of adulterous unions reflects the emotional awakening of the middle class and thus should be more accepted. The third issue said to be confusing young people is whether to work for a company or be self-employed. Laid-off workers are warning the younger generation that the 'iron rice bowl' (a job for life with a state-owned enterprise) is a thing of the past. This is nothing new. But Silicon Valley returnees are bringing home similarly bad news: multinational corporations are no more reliable. So private business has become the common goal. Niuniu's friend Lulu was recently laid off and tried to join the self-employed. Her plan was to open a coffee shop, but Lulu soon discovered how difficult it can be to secure a loan from a Chinese bank. She also learned the other hard truths: that being your own boss also means shelling out for a pension plan, medical cover and housing benefits. Lulu is convinced that only a handful of people - such as Beibei - have both the right connections and the access to deep-pocket resources to benefit from opening their own business. So she asked Niuniu and Beibei to use their connections to find her a job with a decent boss. As for the other four major confusions of the young - you'll have to wait until next week.