Every kid wishes to be an adult. Do you remember playing house as a child—pretending to be a grown-up like your parents? Did you imagine you were a doctor, a soldier or a teacher? At that time, anything seemed more exciting than being young. But now some grown-ups become "kidults" (kid+adult), who participate in the culture and activities traditionally intended for children.
Some kidults collect toys they once played with. It is not unusual to see a 20-something woman with a big, Snoopy-shaped cushion (坐垫) on her sofa or a Hello Kitty mobile phone accessory (配件).
For example, Bloomsbury even published the Harry Potter novels with an adult cover. That way, no one else on the subway will know that an adult is actually reading a children's book!
"Kidults can be like vitamins to society. Adults who value their childhood and hold on to pure, childlike emotion may be needed in such a rough and dry society," said Lee Sojung, professor of Foreign Studies at Hankuk University. It could give children and their parents books, movies, and cartoon shows to enjoy together. He may be right.
Tim Greenhalgh, a professor in London, explained that some kidults just refused to grow up. Kidults would like to forget their age and openly show their fear of society and adulthood. "So, they can escape from increasingly complex and stressful lives that are hard to deal with," Greenhalgh said.
| A. They find they cannot leave childhood behind. B. Other kidults still enjoy children's stories and fairy tales. C. Kidults often run into the problem of finding a job at their level. D. They do so because the life in a busy and stressful city frightens them. E. Hello Kitty, Garfield, and Snoopy have many adult fans around the world. F. He added that kidult culture may fill the generation gap between adults and kids. G. They may not be great parents as well as able to take on adult responsibilities. |
