> “Lying flat is my sophistic movement,” Mr. Luo wrote, tipping his hat to Diogenes the Cynic, a Greek philosopher who is said to have lived inside a barrel to criticize the excesses of Athenian aristocrats. On Chinese social media, Mr. Luo’s manifesto, and his assertion that he has a “right to choose a slow lifestyle” of reading, exercising and doing odd jobs to get by, quickly went viral. Sympathizers shared versions of a belief that is gaining global resonance: Work has become intolerable. Rest is resistance.

I don't understand why this is controversial. If someone wants to get by on odd jobs and spend their time reading, exercising, and relaxing, why should anyone have a problem with that? Mr. Luo seems to understand the consequences of the lifestyle he's chosen, and he's willing to accept them. Likewise, the woman who doesn't want a career is free not to have one, assuming she is willing to accept the consequences of her actions.