Instead of even trying to chase jobs that seem out of reach, Gen Z is embracing living like a rat—not showering or leaving the house for days at a time.
The millennial era of “work hard, play harder” and “girl bossing” has given way to a new trend. In China, at least, Gen Zers are proudly calling themselves “rat people”—they’re spending entire days procrastinating in bed, scrolling on their phones, snoozing and ordering take out.
I think it has something to do with “giving up” on the economy: if you have very low chances of landing a job anyways, why even try?
The article does not directly tell us how many people participate in this movement consciously. It does hint, however:
Today, over 4 million American Gen Zers remain jobless. In China, the government has said that as of February, 1 in 6 young people are unemployed.
Hard not to sympathize. World is fucked.
The millennial era of “work hard, play harder”
I hate to be that guy that calls everything Orwellian, but this is NOT how Fortune was describing Millenials 15 years ago
Yeah wtf is that? I’m a fucking burnout who is so lazy my hair is just a matted mess and has been for like a month
Ah, yes, the rhetoric ‘grind culture’ disguising working three jobs just to eat and sleep in conditions that are semi-humane. But being scolded and scorned for never being able to buy a house because we like avocado toast. Working so hard, but never working enough in the same breath.
It was never about the fucking toast. ‘Goblin mode’ and ‘adulting’ and ‘gamer shut-in’ and ‘NEET’ was never about being lazy. It was always about painting out the propaganda to guilt us into not meeting the model of expectation instead of our elders accepting blame. Maybe, hear me out, they should open their eyes and see that we’re living in a level of poverty so hilariously deep that not even our kids–Gen Z and Gen Alpha–will be able to dig it out.
They’re not giving up because they’re lazy. They’re opting out of a system designed to fail.
Maybe Chinese millennials are more hard working
coolerthan us American ones?15 years ago millennials were cast in the generic framework of lazy younger generation. Now we have hindsight for them to be able to observe what actually happened. Millennials absolutely became a workaholic play hard generation.
Today, over 4 million American Gen Zers remain jobless. In China, the government has said that as of February, 1 in 6 young people are unemployed.
I hate mixed comparisons…
There’s about 69 million (nice) Gen Z in America.
So America = 5.7%
China = 16.6%
Are those 69 million all adults/working age already?
For full context it might also be useful to see the unemployment rates in other age groups in both countries.
Gen Z are all 18+ now, and it’s a safe assumption neither number includes students
Most definitions I find define Gen Z as early 2010s or 2012 as the end year which would make plenty of them underage still.
There’s a lot of factories over there dude
I’m sorry, but Millennials or Genz did not invent quiet quitting. The media made it up to describe just doing your damn job
That’s just called depression. I’ve been experiencing that for years
You sure it’s not just depression?
I can get behind this. Overthrow your country’s oppressive working conditions by simply refusing to engage and proudly calling yourself a rat. Everyone in capitalist hellscapes should do that.
thanks for that :D
Congrats to the Wikipedia contributor who managed to get “shitposter” into a sentence without it being removed
Friend, fuckin’ same. It seems like all the propaganda hit pieces do is make them feel more relatable, damn.
You have more in common with a Chinese or Russian worker than any billionaire.
If only all the rats of the world combined into an unruly rat king… Then things would change.
Master Splinter?
Isn’t there the japanese thing “lay flat” where it’s just about surviving and not excelling in life
I would be surprised if there was not
The whole gig economy / hustle culture was deliberately abused by companies treating people like consultants except with low wages and certainly zero benefits. People are taking all the downside and businesses are completely covered from any liability. It has to end somewhere.
Wasn’t there also the “lie flat” trend? It’s not just Gen Z who are calling uncle. If I had the means, I’d join them.
Do you mean planking?
how can you afford staying in bed scrolling on phone and ordering takeouts? rent, electric, phone, gas bills? is it because their boomer parents have one child and pay everything for them even when they grow up?
My guy, gen Z’s parents are gen X and millennials, not boomers
Right on the cusp myself but my parents are boomers and I’m not the only person my age that’s true of
They are rats man. They find a way to survive just like… well… rats
wondering this as well
I would too if I didn’t have to work full time for affordable health care pouts
