Ground down by the sapping realities of modern city life, China’s young people are “lying flat,” the latest buzzword for those tapping out of a culture of endless work with little reward.
With growing inequality and rising costs of living nudging traditional markers of success out of reach, some young people are choosing to do the bare minimum at work, dialing back the go-getting aspirations their parents once harbored.
“Tang ping (躺平)” or “lying flat” has emerged as the latest Internet-crafted principle to navigate the pains of finding a job among thousands of applicants, plodding through long days and then
Ground down by the sapping realities of modern city life, China s youth are lying flat , the latest buzzword for those tapping out of a culture of endless work with little reward.
With growing inequality and rising costs of living nudging traditional markers of success out of reach, some young people are choosing to do the bare minimum at work, dialling back the go-getting aspirations their parents once harboured. Tang ping - or lying flat - has emerged as the latest internet-crafted principle to navigate the pains of finding a job among thousands of applicants, plodding through long days and then paying exorbitant rents in China s oversubscribed cities.
Beijing Criticizes Chinese Youth’s ‘Do-Nothing’ Approach to Life
“I don’t want to lean in. I want to lie down,” this famous line of comedian Ali Wong describes the desire to do nothing in one’s life and career. Unexpectedly, the “lying down” approach is catching on among young people in mainland China and has caught the attention of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Party’s propaganda labeled the “lying down” trend “disgraceful” as the regime is concerned about its repercussions on society.
“Lying down” or
tang (lie) and
ping (flat) has become a popular slang in the mainland. People who choose the “lying down” lifestyle say that they don’t want to be money-making machines. They want to be minimalists and don’t plan on establishing a career, owning a home, and raising a family.