topic: [[People Growing]] created: 2023-07-01 *How can I fully reject the whole idea of the modern world of over-achieving and overwork?* This reminds me of [[reactance]], and how the push for higher and higher achievement is bound to be met with a pushing back against that culture. It's kind of like [[Antifragility]], the higher the stakes seem the more fragile it is to attempt to achieve. It also reminds me of [[not even wrong]], the idea that even just the question of "success" and "happiness" is so off base from _harmony_ or other more present words, that the only response is outright rejection. ##### what is it? "**Tang Ping** ([Chinese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_language "Chinese language"): [躺平](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%BA%BA%E5%B9%B3 "wikt:躺平"); lit. 'lying flat') is a Chinese [slang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slang "Slang") neologism that describes a personal rejection of societal pressures to [overwork](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overwork "Overwork") and [over-achieve](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-achiever "Over-achiever"), such as in the [996 working hour system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/996_working_hour_system "996 working hour system"), which is often regarded as a [rat race](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_race "Rat race") with ever [diminishing returns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminishing_returns "Diminishing returns").[[1]] _Tang ping_ means choosing to "lie down flat and get over the beatings" via a low-desire, more indifferent attitude towards life." (Wikipedia) ##### why does it matter? Cultures move in interesting flows, if this is a societal norm it will significantly change the direction a culture takes, with the interconnected world it is easy to see how people in the West could take this approach, a way of rejecting the entire philosophy of GDP, growth economy, etc. ##### What would the opposite argument be? Feeling satisfied can only be accomplished through effort, if you reject the whole premise of participation in the world, you are unnecessarily shooting yourself in the foot, and not allowing for the opportunity to overcome, to complete against a challenge, to learn about yourself, and to be resilient. Lying down is the step right before death, is that the goal? tags: #note/idea | #on/life | #on/performance | #on/goals | #on/achievement ##### Sources: [[Saving Time]] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_ping