Tang Ping

[Lemur]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_ping
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57348406

Luo Huazhong is not retired but willingly chose a very laid back, minimal environmental impact lifestyle. He does odd jobs for money which sounds like the workingman path in the ERE book.

Another one from Vietnam:
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/life/trend ... 27975.html

The diminishing returns of the current system (rising costs but not rising wages) is causing what seems like a global-wide trend of resistance to current labor conditions and the younger generations "checking-out."

In the U.S version, this seems very related to "The Great Resignation" where the COVID pandemic and ensuing employer/employee relationship took a sudden turn and caused many in the young generation to see regular employed work as not worth it. There seems to be a rising demand (and even talk of October strikes at least on the internet).

I don't think that bodes well from an individualist standpoint in building resilience (through financial means at least) .... but as a collective, possible changes to the system are brewing globally? The ones checking out will surely gain resilience through a different set of skills (low-spending lifestyle).

Personally, in my own work I feel a sense of power gained recently. For example, the culture used to feel very 'up or out' but we're so strained for human resources it seems like management is almost even pandering to me lately like...they aren't pushing the up. They're trying to maintain the 'stay.' Mistakes I make at work used to mean some form of consequence but everyone seems more laid back lately...even my client/customers. Not sure if coincidence.

If this gains traction, what sort of impact does this make for ERE? I see a positive as far as communicating ideas - this movement won't seem so 'crazy' after all to the higher Wheaton levels. Will a mass labor movement arise? Will corporations start feeling the exodus in there bottom-lines and start making some changes?

[Salathor]

After reading Tai pan/Noble House, I've been in love with a lot of aspects of Chinese culture (others not so much) and become a big reader of South China Morning Post. I can't remember where I first heard about it, but 'touching fish' is another cultural description out of China that seems relevant.

https://www.inkstonenews.com/business/t ... le/3116314

[Lemur]

I'd touch fish too if I was scheduled 9am to 9pm six days a week . Is it just tech giants though? Wondering if that is the norm in China...I think it is with Alibaba.

I actually did work these hours once when I was deployed in Afghanistan (prior military). One found strategic ways to take breaks...it was necessary otherwise you would definitely burn out physically or mentally.

[white belt]

I'd touch fish too if I was scheduled 9am to 9pm six days a week . Is it just tech giants though? Wondering if that is the norm in China...I think it is with Alibaba.

When I was in China in the mid 2010s, the 996 schedule appeared to exist across a variety of industries. Or at least working 6-7 days a week was typical, but I’m not sure on the exact hours. I knew a girl (college graduate) who worked for some kind of tutoring company and I recall her having one day off over a ~3 week period, but she may have only been working 8-10 hour days.

[C40]

This one is not about work, but mating/relationships: In Japan, 10 years ago or so, there was a rise in popularity of men never entering the world of child-making/sex/love/relationships. They were/are called "men who eat grass"

I can confirm that the 6-day workweek is far more common in Asia than in the western world. Lots of people I knew in Vietnam worked Saturdays. I don't recall noticing that in Thailand, but I was there less time

[Seppia]

In South Korea, Saturday was a normal work day until a few years ago.
The average Korean I know gets out if the house around 630-7am and never gets back before 830pm.
Basically, South Korea is the real version of the west’s stereotype of Japan.
In Japan, people spend long hours at work (or I should say with colleagues) but the real amount of work getting done is very small. Most izakayas in Tokyo are full of drunk salarymen by 630pm

[chenda]

South Korea's work culture has been blamed for its abysmally low birth rate and ageing population.