China’s “lying flat” generation is quietly rejecting the relentless pressure of work, housing, debt, and status competition. This piece explains what tangping means, why it spread, and what it reveals about burnout, stalled mobility, and the changing social contract for young people in China.
Gen Z is not blowing money because they do not understand compound interest—they are spending because the math of traditional wealth-building no longer adds up. With record debt loads, bleak housing affordability, and youth unemployment stuck in double digits, many young adults have concluded that homeownership and conventional retirement are fantasies, not goals. This article unpacks how that despair fuels doom spending, pushes Gen Z toward high‑risk bets like crypto and meme stocks, and reshapes the future of saving, lending, and investing.
Doom Spending and Financial Nihilism: Inside Gen Z’s Money Mindset Read More »
