People rush to study English young, believing learning is difficult after 30

In Vietnam, there is a widespread mindset that after 30, people simply "cannot learn anymore." It is commonly believed that we must learn everything in our youth because, as we age, we supposedly lose the ability to learn.

Meanwhile, I find that my Western colleagues often take a different approach. They take time off to travel, enjoy life, and not obsess over constant learning in their youth. They instead see it as a lifelong journey and they work and learn simultaneously. Even professors are expected to study and publish research annually.

In contrast, many Vietnamese people stop learning after graduating from university and no longer touch books for decades after that. After work, many just scroll through Facebook, YouTube, or TikTok, with little interest in self-improvement or training.

This "learn in a hurry" mindset leads many to rush to learn fast and early, but without truly mastering anything. Many young people excel in English but lack the expertise to do a job or teach, leaving their language skills unused. In the end, their English is only useful for chatting online or enjoying entertainment.

English is undeniably important today, but it should not be glorified and learning it should not be rushed. It is a powerful tool in the workplace, but it is not everything. If you are only good at English, you will end up as a translator or interpreter without any real expertise.

Expertise and technical knowledge are what society truly needs. Without those, what can you even do with English alone?

I also find it annoying that so many people mix random English words into their Vietnamese sentences. Is it really necessary? Or do they just want to show that they are good at English?

*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.