Young workers: Merely opinionated or softies?

They look chic and sophisticated. They are soft and get hurt easily. They seem unbearably spoilt and can't take much pressure. They are the so-called "Strawberry Generation".

The term was coined by a Taiwan writer in one of her books about office rules. It refers to the post-60s generation of office workers, who grew up in a protected environment and got easily dented - just like strawberries - by life's lightest knocks.

This expression is now finding its way into the mainland, and refers to young workers, of only child families, who have been active in the workforce for just a year or two. They are generally well educated but are self-centered and give too much importance to appearance and material comforts. They are unwilling to do hard work, surrender easily to setbacks and often put personal interests before collective interests. The worst of them are characterized as "puddings" or "bean curd".