Lying Flat and Let It Rot: China's Youth Rebellion Reshaping Global Consumerism in 2025
By Macfeigh Atunga | September 20, 2025
In the heart of China's bustling cities and quiet rural corners, a quiet revolution simmers among the youth. Known as "Lying Flat" (Tangping, 躺平) and its more nihilistic sibling "Let It Rot" (Bai Lan, 摆烂), these counter-cultural movements have evolved from viral memes into profound societal shifts by 2025. Born from exhaustion with the relentless grind of overwork, sky-high living costs, and unattainable dreams of success, these trends represent a collective exhale—a refusal to chase the hamster wheel of hyper-consumerism and corporate ambition.
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With China's youth unemployment hovering at 14.5% for those aged 16-24 in August 2025, affecting over 16 million who have effectively "opted out" of the workforce, these movements are not just personal rebellions but seismic forces rippling through global markets.
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For brands worldwide, the message is clear: the era of aspirational hustle porn is waning. Luxury sectors in China, once a growth engine, are projected to remain "flat" through mid-2025, prompting marketers to pivot toward authenticity, work-life balance, and anti-consumerist narratives.
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This blog unpacks the origins, drivers, and far-reaching impacts of Lying Flat and Let It Rot, drawing on the latest 2025 research from McKinsey, South China Morning Post, and academic studies. We'll explore how these trends echo in the USA, where similar sentiments fuel "quiet quitting" and underconsumption. As The MarketWorth Group tracks these cultural earthquakes, discover actionable insights for navigating this new normal. For more on global youth trends, visit our about page.
Origins of Lying Flat: A Meme That Became a Manifesto
The Lying Flat movement traces its roots to April 2021, when a now-deleted Baidu post by a user named "Kind-Hearted Traveler" went viral. Lamenting the futility of toiling endlessly for a "good life" that seemed perpetually out of reach, the author declared: "Lying flat is my way of resistance."
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This resonated deeply with China's post-90s and post-00s generations, who faced intensified "involution" (neijuan)—a hyper-competitive rat race where marginal gains demand exponential effort.
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By 2025, Tangping has matured into a sociocultural phenomenon, with surveys showing 68% of urban youth identifying with its ethos of minimalism and self-preservation.
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What began as passive resistance has spawned subcultures like "Rat People" (laoshu ren), an extreme 2025 iteration where burnt-out workers burrow into low-effort survival modes, scorning the 996 workweek (9am-9pm, six days).
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Academic analyses, such as a 2025 narrative inquiry in the International Journal of Educational Development, frame Lying Flat not as laziness but as a critique of stratified capitalism intertwined with Confucian duty.
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In Taiwan, a parallel movement has emerged, with young people adopting Tangping to prioritize mental health over career ladders.
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This evolution underscores a broader disillusionment: despite China's GDP growth, youth perceive diminishing returns on their sacrifices.
Economically, the movement's staying power is evident in labor statistics. Over 12 million university graduates entered the market in 2025, yet many choose gig-free lifestyles, exacerbating underemployment.
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As one Reddit thread from global youth discussions notes, Lying Flat's viral spread on platforms like the site mirrors a universal fatigue with neoliberal grind.
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For deeper historical context, explore Wikipedia's Tangping entry.
The Nihilistic Turn: Let It Rot Takes Hold
If Lying Flat is reclining on the floor, Let It Rot is watching the weeds overrun the garden. Emerging in 2022 amid post-zero-COVID blues, Bai Lan encapsulates a deeper despair: not just opting out, but allowing entropy to claim ambitions, relationships, and even basic responsibilities.
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By March 2025, the phrase trended amid youth unemployment spikes, with social media flooded by memes of "rotting" in bed while deadlines decay.
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A Business Standard report highlights how Bai Lan reflects Xi Jinping-era economic shifts, where state calls for renewed vigor clash with Gen Z's exhaustion.
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This movement's passive aggression manifests in subtle sabotages: half-hearted work, ghosted opportunities, and a rejection of performative productivity. Research from East Asia Forum in May 2025 links Bai Lan to "social fatigue," with 45% of surveyed youth citing mental health as a trigger.
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Unlike Tangping's minimalism, Let It Rot embraces absurdity, as seen in viral videos of "rot challenges" where participants document their unproductivity.
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Globally, it parallels "goblin mode"—the Oxford Word of 2023 that lingers into 2025 as a badge of unapologetic sloth.
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In consumer terms, Bai Lan fuels "No Buy 2025," a Gen Z pledge against impulse purchases, echoing Western minimalism but rooted in economic precarity.
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Jing Daily reports this anti-luxury sentiment has softened China's high-end market, with sales growth stalling at 2-3% for Q1-Q2 2025.
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Brands ignoring this risk alienation; those adapting, like local wellness apps promoting "rot-proof" self-care, see 15% engagement lifts.
Underlying Drivers: Unemployment, Burnout, and Mental Health Crises
At the core of these movements lie stark realities. China's youth unemployment rate peaked at 21.3% in mid-2023 but lingers at 14.5% in 2025, per National Bureau of Statistics data—a figure excluding the 16 million "lying flat" who no longer seek jobs.
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This crisis, compounded by a post-pandemic slowdown, has left over 12 million 2025 graduates competing for fewer stable roles, many in tech and finance hit by regulatory crackdowns.
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Mental health tolls amplify the despair. A 2025 Psychology Today analysis estimates 30% of urban youth experience burnout symptoms, with Lying Flat serving as informal therapy against "involution-induced anxiety."
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ThinkChina's July 2025 report ties this to deeper structural woes: housing affordability crises (average prices 30x annual income in Tier 1 cities) and eroding social mobility.
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The Diplomat warns that without interventions like expanded mental health services, Bai Lan could entrench a "lost generation."
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Yet, silver linings emerge. Paradigm Press's February 2025 study posits that if harnessed, these movements could catalyze labor reforms, boosting work-life balance policies akin to Europe's 4-day week trials.
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For businesses, understanding these drivers is key—our youth mental health markets guide offers tailored strategies.
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