In Covid Zero, Young Chinese Embrace ‘Run Philosophy’

This is quite a departure for members of a generation previously known for their nationalistic penchant.

They grew up as China rose to become the world’s second biggest economy. They trolled critics of Beijing’s human rights records and boycotted many Western brands for perceived slights of their motherland.

Sometimes they complained about their grueling work schedules and lack of upward social mobility. But if they were less sure of their personal future, they were confident that China would be great again — as their top leader promised.

This spring it’s become increasingly clear that the government can’t live up to its promises and the state has different expectations for their lives.

A new survey of more than 20,000 people, mostly female between 18 and 31, found that two thirds of them don’t want to have children. The government has a different agenda, pushing people to have three children to rejuvenate one of the fastest aging populations in the world.

Doris Wang, a young professional in Shanghai, said that she had never planned to have children in China. Living through the harsh lockdown in the past two months reaffirmed her decision. Children should be playing in nature and with each other, she said, but they’re locked up in apartments, going through rounds of Covid testing, getting yelled at by pandemic control workers and listening to stern announcements from loudspeakers on the street.

“Even adults feel very depressed, desperate and unhealthy, not to mention children,” she said. “They’ll definitely have psychological issues to deal with when they grow up.” She said she plans to migrate to a western country so she can have a normal life and dignity.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/24/business/china-covid-zero.html