Visual Vibrations_ Super Child

  

  

by Mak Man Ting Katie


In a society that is almost entirely commercially oriented, the rise of the twisted social phenomenon of “Super-Child Parenting” has gained a relatively prominent ground amongst the parents of young generation. The idea of arming kids with excessive, unnecessary knowledge and extracurricular activities, so that they will become beau ideal might sound quintessential; but when it is carried out badly, it is not only unhelpful to the development of a child’s mind, or even detrimental. The focus of this project is to examine and shed light on this social phenomenon through a board game.

Parents treat their kids as poker chips or a piece in a board game. In a parent’s perspective, raising a “super-child” is a game they need to play against the education system and fellow parents. Children, who view “games” as mere fun, gain no enjoyment from the process. Instead, they participate in the “game” by becoming a game piece that is moved and manipulated. The path of their lives are chosen and superimposed. I hope my project will give the viewers a new perspective to evaluate this phenomenon.

我們的社會基本上已完完全全是商業主導，引發起由幼兒家長所突顯出來的緊張現象：養育「超級兒童」。孩童被迫接受過份而又非必須的知識和課外活動；而孩童的家長，總是希望他們的孩子變得「完美」且「無所不曉」。但當處理不當時，這不單無助孩童的心理發展，更百害而無一利。

在這作品的棋盤遊戲中，家長把子女當成棋子。在父母親的眼中，育成一位「超級兒童」是一個他們需要對抗教育制度和其他家長的遊戲。在遊戲過程中，孩子其實並不享受，也不會高興。相反，在遊戲中他們只是棋子，是被動和受控。在生活中他們的痛苦是被強加上去的。我希望這個作品讓大家可以有一個新的角度來評價這個現象。