I haven't seen this comparison elsewhere, but it seems that the current low-wage, no benefits labor non-participation trend in America is similar to the "lying flat" movement in China. If hard work in a job won't provide a decent quality of life, that job is unattractive.
Posted Sep 19, 2021, 9:59 PM UTC
There was actually an OpEd in the NYT a few weeks ago making this exact comparison between the Tang Ping movement in China & what’s going on in the US now! A great essay.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/22/opinion/lying-flat-work-rest.html
Thanks, I will check it out!
Great read!
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Doing the bare minimum to survive in China.
No it's more like during the pandemic Americans realized that there is no reason to work demeaning wageslave jobs when they get coronabux money that is more than they would get working those jobs
I've never heard the term "lying flat" before, but you describe it the same, yes. There is no labor shortage at jobs that pay well. People are no longer willing to risk their lives for crumbs. That, and many of those workers have died of covid.
The Chinese government is concerned that this trend of non-participation in the labor force by disillusioned young people could torpedo their economy. References to "lying flat" are being systematically removed from Chinese social media, in an attempt to keep the idea from spreading.
TIL. Thanks. Anything to avoid paying a living wage, right?
The business answer is to pay as little as possible. The government answer is to shovel as many perqs and benefits as possible to the "successful" capitalists. Are they still "job creators" if no one is willing to consume the shitty jobs that they create?