Many young people today, especially those in big cities, hold the attitude that they do not want their children to work as slaves for capitalism, and therefore do not want to have children.
I have always said that in a downturn, ordinary people basically have two options: either stay put and enjoy life, or seek new opportunities and take risks. The Japanese market has already shown us that these are all similar to the East Asian real estate market, so don't think you're smarter than others.
In a deflationary cycle, intense competition within traditional industries often leads to more effort resulting in worse outcomes. For example, those who worked tirelessly from 2017 to today, putting in 996-hour workweeks to save money for a down payment, or those who researched property sectors and school districts to buy at peak prices, hoping their assets would continue to appreciate—many of them have now lost their down payments. Not only have they wasted a year of work, but they’re also saddled with debt. If you hadn’t worked so hard and instead just enjoyed life, you wouldn’t have lost so much. In a deflationary cycle, fantasising about investments to change your fate is like trying to catch fish by climbing a tree. With the triple whammy of housing, stocks, and bonds, there’s something for everyone. So for those with weaker desires, lying low isn’t a bad strategy. Being a Chinese version of a Heisei-era otaku isn’t so bad either. With the rise of things like life-sized dolls, artificial wombs, VR games, and brain-computer interfaces, you’ll have all the joy you need. Shut the door and you’ll be just as happy as those debt-ridden, desperate overachievers. I fully understand and support this lifestyle.
The proletariat has nothing to lose but their chains.
No need to buy a house. No need to get married. No need to have children. Just lie back. Eat well, drink well. No need to add your name. No need to take responsibility. Just be a scoundrel. Give up all the responsibilities you think you must fulfil in this lifetime, and you will be liberated.
The Japanese and Koreans have already embraced this lifestyle. The three East Asian brothers are following suit, entering a low-desire, low-birthrate society one after another.
Why bother working so hard? There’s no throne for you to inherit.
Why bother taking responsibility? That’s ridiculous. They don’t need you to take responsibility. They just need your money. Why not spend it on yourself?
Lying low and the Daoist concept of “non-action” are essentially the same principle: it’s not about not trying, but about trying in the wrong direction, which is a waste of effort. This requires a certain level of life wisdom to understand. Let the striving, test-taking machines breed their own kind on this land; we’ll go explore the stars and the sea.
Life is meant to be enjoyed and experienced. Going to school is an experience, and so is marriage. Even heartbreak, unemployment, failure, and confusion are all just experiences. The meaning of these experiences is to continuously expand our horizons and wisdom. All these people, things, and events are not truly ours; they are merely tools to be used. Nothing belongs to us, but everything can be utilised by us. We only have the right to use them, not the absolute right to own them, including our own lives, which are merely temporary tools we use. Ultimately, everything will fade away. Therefore, if you believe that a person or thing belongs to you, you will inevitably feel pain when you lose it. For example, you may think that a woman is yours, or that a child is yours. But the woman may eventually betray you, and the child will eventually leave you as they grow up. Moreover, the child belongs to society and the universe—how could they truly belong to you? Thus, all things are merely used by us temporarily. I also hope you can remember that possessing something is accidental, and losing it is inevitable. When you understand that the truth of this world is loss, what is there to be sad or upset about? Then you can naturally face all kinds of people with equanimity, without attachment to gain or loss. Therefore, learn to cherish the right to use, let go of the right to own, and stop caring about the ownership of any person, any matter, or any object. You only need the right to use. If you truly understand this, you can avoid many troubles.
