Can’t imagine how awful it would be to go through the shitty Chinese education system only to not get a job. How quickly will the education ethos crumble if the narrative ceases to work?
"Lying Flat" apparently is making a comeback. But, it is an old idea in China. A big theme is that skill and effort are not rewarded. Connections are. So, young people see most other people meagerly getting by after busting their ass from the moment they could walk and talk. But, they also see children of well-connected Party members living in luxury and excess as spoiled brats since birth.
Another theme is that while it is hard to make good money, isn't hard to live very, very cheap in major Chinese cities if you cut down to bare minimalism. So, a lot of young people are apparently saving up for mini-retirements where they just drop out for a 2-3 years at a time, because why not?