The CCP Claims That the Concept of 'lying Flat' is Linked to Foreign Interference, Which Has Sparked Public Mockery

It's still better to lie flat. (People News/AI-generated image)

[People News] The term 'chives' has become a self-deprecating label used by the Chinese public in recent years, akin to 'sheep to be slaughtered.' In the past few years, when the economy was slightly better, many people saved up some money through frugality, only for the CCP to exploit them through real estate, the stock market, and P2P investments, harvesting the 'chives' in waves.

Now that foreign capital has fled, China's economy has plunged into a severe downturn. Not only are recent graduates and unemployed middle-aged individuals struggling to find jobs and facing hardships, but there is also a significant trend of the middle class falling back into poverty. Many netizens are discussing the growing number of wealthy individuals who are returning to poverty, stating, 'Many people in China have actually become rich. Or rather, they have been rich. However, 90% of those who became wealthy are now back to being poor.'

'Recently, I sought to verify something from various sources. Since 2018, we have observed that many internet celebrities who profited from the internet boom have largely returned to poverty. Most of their incomes have reverted to what they were before they became internet celebrities, and some even carry debts.'

'In the last two years, there has been a notable increase in middle-aged individuals falling back into poverty. For instance, many CEOs and celebrities are now live-streaming on Douyin to sell products. Why did they earn so much money in the past, yet now find themselves in such difficult circumstances?'

The trend of the middle class slipping back into poverty appears to be quite widespread. It's not limited to the middle class; even the wealthy are facing a return to poverty. The question arises: how did the wealthy accumulate their wealth? They leveraged the benefits of their time, borrowing money to invest in projects and equipment, and when they secured funding, they expanded their markets and enhanced production efficiency. However, these strategies have now become ineffective.

Both young and middle-aged individuals are expressing frustration over the challenges of job hunting, leading many to adopt a 'lying flat' approach. This means opting out of marriage, relationships, home ownership, having children, and consumer spending. Young people are responding to their disillusionment with reality by embracing 'lying flat,' which has, to some extent, fostered a mindset of 'refusing to consume, refusing to strive, and refusing to be exploited,' thereby challenging the official ideological narratives and the existing system.

As the 'lying flat' phenomenon gained traction among the youth, shopping websites began to showcase T-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and car stickers featuring slogans like 'lie flat' and 'if you lie flat enough, you won't be exploited.' 'Lying flat' has transitioned from a source of shame to a widely accepted norm.

With the adoption of the 'lying flat' mentality, the public has become reluctant to spend, leading to a lifestyle of extreme poverty, which poses a significant challenge to economic recovery. The Chinese Communist authorities are increasingly anxious about their inability to exploit the populace. At the end of last year, the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission introduced new regulations for internet celebrities, explicitly banning expressions such as 'lying flat' and 'slacking off.' The crackdown on dissent has intensified, with related cultural products being removed from shopping platforms and accounts discussing these issues facing frequent bans.

Some commentators believe that the authorities' heightened sensitivity to the concepts of "lying flat" and "involution" stems from their association with a spirit of "nonviolent non-cooperation" and individualism. This poses a potential soft challenge to a regime rooted in collectivism and has even begun to affect the rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The Ministry of State Security has stated that "lying flat" is linked to foreign organisations.

On April 28 of this year, the CCP took the unusual step of having the Ministry of State Security publish a message on its WeChat public account, claiming that a certain foreign organisation has been funding various anti-China media outlets and think tanks. They have been fabricating narratives such as "struggle = exploitation" and "class solidification = effort is useless." This foreign organisation has also heavily funded "lying flat internet celebrities," who are producing short videos en masse with slogans like "lying flat is justice" and "anti-involution = anti-exploitation," systematically engaging in what they term "lying flat brainwashing." By generating negative emotions, they elevate individual struggles into collective opposition, misleading and coercing young people into unknowingly undermining the foundational values of society.

These assertions have drawn ridicule and scepticism from netizens in mainland China. They have commented, "Is there really a need for incitement?" "In the future, if I say 'work is too exhausting, too exploitative, I want to take a break for a while,' will I be labelled as 'you have been incited by foreign forces!'?", and "My 10-year-old son says he doesn't want to get married or have children in the future... I asked him if it was something the teacher taught him or something he heard from game streamers. He replied: It's my own thought." 

A Weibo user with 2.116 million followers, known as "Shiyan Yanyu," suggested that the authorities should disclose which internet celebrities received funding from which foreign organisations, how much money was involved, what calls to lying flat were made, and what consequences resulted. They should also ensure that these internet celebrities face legal repercussions. Only then would their claims be convincing.

Lawyer Yang Chunxiang remarked that it is indeed the overseas anti-China forces at play! Which country's anti-China factions are funding which internet influencers? It would be best to expose them publicly. 'If you can't keep up with the competition, just lie flat—how can that be acceptable? Even if you can't keep up, you still have to compete! As long as you don't die from the competition, keep pushing yourself to the limit!' 

Weibo user 'Zheng Yi has something to say' commented that, from this perspective, the overseas organisations are not very clever and lack insight. To inflict harm, they should incite internal competition; competition is the optimal solution, as it can further restrict upward mobility and promote overwork, creating tension physically, mentally, and in interpersonal relationships... The overseas forces inciting a 'lie flat' mentality will find that those who refuse to lie flat—those with better conditions and opportunities—will certainly not lie down. The more they push this narrative, the more they create conditions for their own emergence. Isn't that a waste of money? 

Meanwhile, overseas netizens have voiced their opinions: 'There are jobs everywhere; it's clearly due to policy reasons, yet they are shifting the blame to overseas forces—impressive,' 'The CCP itself is the overseas organisation, an armed traitor group supported by the Soviet Union to overthrow the legitimate government of the Republic of China,' 'What crime can’t be fabricated? Everyone, stop lying down and rise up to rebel.' 

'The CCP authorities are clearly humiliating the lower-class citizens; they not only do not allow you to lie down, but also want to convict you?' 

'Stop complaining and prove through action that you stand out from the crowd, rather than being just another chicken among chickens. You have no choice; the only path is to resist. Unite together.'

You are persecuting human rights and infringing on freedoms, transforming the entire country into a massive digital prison. Through digital totalitarianism, grid surveillance, and a social credit system, you tightly control 1.4 billion people as if they were slaves. Yet, you blame 'foreign forces' for young people not wanting to strive? Young people have already seen the truth: under your regime, speaking the truth leads to disappearance, defending rights is met with an iron fist, and any independent thought is suppressed.

In reality, opting to 'lie flat' is the best way to dismantle the Communist Party. They are aware of this, but they are powerless to stop it. It's similar to family planning; you can prevent me from having children, but when you want me to have them, you have no means to enforce it. The same goes for lying flat; if you promote 'anti-lying flat' as this propaganda suggests, it will only encourage more people to reflect on the significance of lying flat. This represents the last resort in an era where ordinary citizens lack power and resources, embodying a new form of nonviolent non-cooperation.

Previously, the general public never connected 'lying flat' with the downfall of the Communist Party. However, now that the Ministry of State Security of the Communist Party is making such a commotion, everyone understands that 'lying flat' equates to the 'White Paper Revolution,' which threatens the very existence of the Communist Party! It’s no wonder the Communist Party is so frightened that they are jumping up and accusing 'foreign organisations' and 'anti-China forces,' as their time is running out! △