China youth ditch fast living to become ‘old-school humans’; stories get 1 billion views online
Young people are turning their backs on parties, fashion and fine dining in hope of finding ‘the good life’ by embracing simplicity
Once, young people in China were obsessed with emulating trendy lifestyles, attending parties, enjoying fine dining and treating consumption as a social currency.
But as this fast-paced lifestyle became the norm, many began to feel exhausted.
In response, a quieter, more traditional way of living has surfaced, and the young people have started calling themselves “old-school humans”.
Last December, some people began sharing stories on social media about spending time with their grandparents at local markets or dining with their parents at community canteens.
These moments of generational connection quickly gained attention, with many humorously adopting the “old-school human” label to describe their lifestyle, which feels out of sync with trendy things.