The world’s population is aging: by 2025, people aged 60 or above will represent 20 percent of the global population. The gains in socioeconomic development mean that many people are reaching old age healthier, wealthier and better educated than previous generations.

With significant purchasing power and specific needs, older people in developed and emerging economies are seen as the fastest growing consumer group in the world, offering opportunities for business growth for many major industries. The market for products and services aimed at people aged over 50—known as the “silver economy”—is currently estimated to be worth $ 15 trillion globally and is expected to rise exponentially (以指数方式) as the number of older people continues to grow.

Importantly, the “silver economy” can contribute to a country’s social development alongside the economic gains because when businesses set out to boost their profits by designing solutions to the challenges faced by older people, they can also create social value by improving the quality of life of people as they age.

China has the largest number of older people in the world with 216.8 million of its population aged 65 or above, and that number is set to increase to 400 million by 2050. As a result, China’s “silver economy” is projected to triple in value, from $750 billion in 2020 to $2.1 trillion by 2030, and could reach a value of $4.2 trillion, accounting for 10 percent of China’s GDP by 2035.

The recently published “Opinions on Developing the Silver Economy and Improving the Well-being of Older Person” is China’s first specific policy guideline for the development of China’s “silver economy”, and China’s experience over the next decade can offer important insights for emerging economies into how best to meet the needs of an aging population while also maximizing the economic development opportunities from such a dramatic shift.

Roughly the size of a soda can, sitting on a bookshelf, a relatively harmless gadget (小装置) may be turning friends away from your home. The elephant in your living room is your Internet-connected security camera, a device people are increasingly using for peace of mind in their homes. But few stop to think about the effect these devices may have on house guests. Should you tell your friends, for instance, that they’re being recorded while you all watch the big game together?

“It’s certainly new territory, especially as home security cameras become easier to fix,” says Lizzie Post, president of the Emily Post Institute, America’s foremost manners advisors. “I think it will be very interesting to see what etiquette (礼仪) emerges in terms of whether you tell people you have a camera or not, and whether guests have a right to ask that it be turned off, if it’s not a security issue.”

Post wants to make clear that she’s not talking about legal rights, but rather personal preferences. She also wants to explain that there are no right or wrong answers regarding manners on this front yet, because the technology is just now becoming mainstream. Besides, the Emily Post Institute doesn’t enforce manners.

When it comes to security cameras, Post says it’s a host’s responsibility to make sure guests feel comfortable within their home. “I am always a fan of being open and honest.” For instance, if the host casually acknowledges that there is a camera in the room by telling a story about it, that may be enough to provide an opening for a guest to say if they are uncomfortable.

However, if a contractor (承包商) is working in your home, you don’t need to tell them that there are cameras watching. Then again, the air of responsibility that the camera generates can also work in contractors’ favor. “If anything does go wrong while they’re in the house, they don’t want to be blamed for it,” she says. “In fact, the camera could be the thing that proves that they didn’t steal the $20, or knock the vase off the table.”

Instead of going on a trip or buying herself new clothes, Xiao Tong from Wuhan, Hubei province, chose to celebrate her senior high school graduation in a different way. She went to a beauty clinic to undergo plastic surgery (整容手术)on her nose.

“I want to make a good impression and start my university life with a brand new look, ” the 18-year-old told Changjiang Daily. Like Xiao Tong, many young Chinese are anxious about their looks, and subject (使经受)themselves to cosmetic surgery. A medical beauty industry white paper by Research Global said 19 percent of Chinese medical beauty consumers in 2020 were aged 18 or under.

Young people have cosmetic surgery for different reasons, and improving self-confidence is one of them. Wang Fang, 18, from Beijing, felt that her eyes were too small. In 2019, after she got in university, Wang had a minor operation done on her eyelids. “Before I had the surgery, I had a negative idea of myself. Therefore, I had low self-esteem and no confidence, ‌”   Wang told Beijing Youth Daily. “The cosmetic surgery changed the situation. I was comfortable with that. ‌”

But Jiang Wenxiu of the Department of Psychiatry, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University in Jiangsu, advised that people should think twice before going under the knife. “Medical beauty apps only show how great plastic surgery can be, ” Jiang told China Daily. “They leave out all the negative stuff. ”

Today beauty clinics that see students as profitable plastic surgery customers are well aware that these young people are mostly short of money, so they use summer discounts,   installment (分期付款) plans and other ways to attract their attention.Xiao Zhen, 17, from Chengdu, Sichuan province, is one of the victims.She took out a loan (贷款) of about 20, 000 yuan to get cosmetic surgery. But the large sum of money became a big burden. She had to drop out of school and go to work to pay off the loan. Besides the financial burden, potential health risks of plastic surgery also need to be considered. “If you have big problems with your look, you should wait until you are a full adult, then decide if you want to do something about it, ” Jiang said. “Then, with a stable mind, you can consider inner and outer beauty, and whether plastic surgery is for you. ”