A new fad in China is urging recent graduates to upload photos of themselves online that show them as ‘more dead than alive.’ Photos of Chinese students slumping over chairs, collapsing against walls, and prostrating on the ground in their graduation robes have gone viral on the internet. Although they are not physically hurt, the pupils believe that such images better portray the harsh circumstances they endure.
What is the significance of Chinese students posing like corpses?
The economy has been put on the back burner by the country’s senior leaders under Xi Jinping, and security has taken its place. China’s assault on the private sector has wreaked havoc on the country’s tech and education sectors, putting a strain on the labor market like never before. The Chinese private sector accounts for 80 percent of total jobs nationwide, and it has been ravaged by China’s now-abandoned Zero-Covid policy.
This summer, a record 11.6 million fresh college graduates will enter the job market in China, and they are aware that their career prospects are grim. In May, the urban China jobless rate hit a startling 20.8 percent. The surge of fresh job seekers will only deepen the country’s unemployment issue. That is the new challenge for Chinese students, who are already fatigued from enduring the rigors of the Chinese school system.
College diplomas are becoming less valued
College degrees are becoming less important to businesses as more job seekers enter the market each year. This has resulted in more students in China seeking Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in the hopes of gaining an advantage over others, however, this does not guarantee a job either.
According to CNN, Li Nian, a Chinese Ph.D. student, the majority of Ph.D. students are depressed. “Perhaps everyone studying for a Ph.D. is depressed,” Li argues. Not long ago, there was a prevalent adage that anyone pursuing a Ph.D. is insane.”
The Chinese economy faces bleak times ahead
A greater unemployment rate and a disgruntled youth population will only add to the Chinese government’s and economy’s woes. In well-performing economies, the young population is frequently responsible for propelling markets upward. They spend money on rent, transportation, education, communication, and their way of life. Simply put, a country with a cash-strapped youth is more likely to see its major economic foundations crumble. As young dissatisfaction deepens, some have even promised to be the “last generation” in China as a form of protest.