lie flat

This simple action has taken on a political significance in China where the younger generation, the Gen Z and young millennials, are beginning to think that life as it is ordained for them in their country is not worth the struggle.  Work is constant and stress is ever-present.  The constant pressure on students to succeed in their studies and get a good job is unrelenting.  The shrinking labour market is putting more pressure on young workers. The best thing to do is to lie down and it will all go away.  This is opting out on a grand scale and the Chinese government is worried.

The positive side of lying flat is that, in turning your back on materialism, you may find that making do with few possessions and zero expectations can give you great peace of mind. As one exponent of the lying flat movement puts it: ‘Lying flat is a state of mind — that is, I feel that many things are not worthy of my attention and energy.’

Lying flat is a translation of the Chinese tang ping.  It has been condemned by President Xi Jinping as the antithesis of the Chinese dream.