From Dream Chasers to Quiet Quitters: The Shifting Mindset of Chinese Millennials

Back in the day, being a millennial in China meant hustle. Like, *real* hustle. You’d wake up before sunrise, grind through nine-to-nine-six workweeks (yep, 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week), and still believe that if you just worked hard enough, you’d own an apartment in Shanghai or finally afford that iPhone everyone was flexing about. Dreams were big, bank accounts were small, but hope? Hope was sky-high.

But fast forward to now—same people, different vibe. A lot of us aren’t chasing promotions like our lives depend on it anymore. Instead, we’re quietly stepping back. Not quitting outright—no dramatic resignation emails or viral LinkedIn rants—but just… doing the bare minimum. Showing up, clocking in, not answering work messages after 6 PM, and actually taking our vacation days. This is the era of 'quiet quitting,' and honestly? It feels like liberation.

So what changed? Well, for starters, we saw the promise of 'work hard, get rich' turn into a myth. Property prices exploded. The job market got more competitive than a KOL’s follower count. And even with two degrees and fluent English, landing a stable gig felt like winning the lottery. We watched our parents sacrifice everything for job security—and then saw companies downsize them anyway. So why repeat that?

Then came the internet, social media, and a little concept called *neijuan*—basically, exhausting overcompetition where everyone runs faster but no one gets ahead. It’s like being on a treadmill set to 'insane.' And suddenly, young folks started asking: 'Wait… is this all there is?'

Enter *tang ping*—'lying flat.' Not literally sleeping all day (though some tried), but rejecting the rat race. Choosing peace over prestige. Trading overtime for hobbies, promotions for mental health. Some stopped dating to avoid pressure. Others moved back home to save money and breathe. It wasn’t laziness—it was self-preservation.

And employers? They didn’t love it. Bosses called us entitled. State media warned against 'negative energy.' But here’s the thing: we’re not trying to burn it all down. We just want balance. Fair pay. A future that doesn’t require selling our souls.

Now, quiet quitting isn’t universal—plenty still hustle hard. But the mindset shift? That’s real. From dream chasers to strategic disengagers, Chinese millennials are redefining success. Not by how much we achieve, but by how much peace we keep. And honestly? That might be the most radical move of all.