Young Chinese are sick of working long hours • Hacker News Board

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#31

Post by walshemj » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:34 PM UTC

Freak_NL wrote: post #4

nickthemagicman wrote: post #2

Welcome to the club! There's 400 million Americans who feel the exact same way!

Japanese too. Keep in mind that this article is written from a British/European standpoint, where working overtime is an exception, not the norm.

That depends in traditional blue collar industries OT was where you made $bank - as do UK train drivers who often work a 4 day week with OT /weekend working paid even more lucratively.

I have also heard that for a Pit Deputy (deep coal mining) the going rate for a single weekend 10 hour shift is £2k.

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#32

Post by codedokode » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:34 PM UTC

ausjke wrote: post #20

yakuza00000 wrote: post #17

Poor Chinese Millennials. They are frustrated their country turned dictatorship. They are constantly monitored by the big brother, social credit score, public cameras that have facial recognition. Their words censored by wechat, and the great firewall. If they say something wrong, they will be watched and put on no travel list. There's no moving up the ladder; they're stuck trying to buy a $500k house with a meager $…

gosh this sounds like a revolution in the cooking state, is this totally true? maybe not that bad I hope. the big problems are the debt and the house bubble, one of them blows up will cause serious issues, so far so good it seems.

It might be a revolution if people previously had better living conditions. But for country like China it probably looks like a big success and people want stability and not changes.

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#33

Post by 1_800_UNICORN » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:36 PM UTC

Very interesting article, but I was disappointed that the article stated that the millenial only-children of China are "outspoken", "pampered", or "self-centered".

I don't believe that any of those terms apply to people who are fighting against working 72 hours per week for low pay. This is a case of basic human rights. The words that come to mind to describe the folks who are fighting this fight are "proud", "resilient", and "hard-working".

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#34

Post by ddeck » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:39 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #21

eumenides1 wrote: post #11

“In my experience young people, especially the post-90s generation, are reluctant to work overtime – they are more self-centered,” says labour rights expert Li Jupeng, one of many who have observed some millennials challenging the 996 concept. self-centered is a funny word. It implies selfish, but is it really selfish if it's self-preservation?

I have to imagine something was lost in translation there? My brain just cannot fathom how "overtime" by the very nature of the word can be anything but an optional extra. You'd just as likely selfishly choose overtime as you would not choose it.

I can't speak to the situation in the mainland, but in Hong Kong, "overtime" for employees in smaller local companies often means the period that you must work beyond your scheduled finish time, and for which you are not paid.

It is not optional if you plan on keeping your job

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#35

Post by avcdsuia » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:39 PM UTC

logfromblammo wrote: post #14

They should join a union, or form a socialist workers' party, or something.~

We are even not allowed to have feminist organizations, any non-governmental groups with powers are considered threat to this country.

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#36

Post by merpnderp » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:41 PM UTC

imglorp wrote: post #25

ausjke wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

gosh this sounds like a revolution in the cooking state, is this totally true? maybe not that bad I hope. the big problems are the debt and the house bubble, one of them blows up will cause serious issues, so far so good it seems.

Last time they stood up to speak, 10,000 students were murdered in public to make an example. They might think twice now.

Except that history isn't taught in China.

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#37

Post by l5870uoo9y » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:41 PM UTC

Wonder how deep and widespread this dissatisfaction really is, beyond a simple worker dispute in a country where so many other public disputes are not tolerated.

Sure, you can find anecdotal statistics and generalize it, but my impression is that the extreme performance culture not only is accepted, but an integral part of the Chinese school system and upbringing. The 6 to 1 model with; 1 child, 2 parents and 4 grandparents who project their expectations and family reputation on to the child seems to structurally strengthened this. Not to mention that the neighbouring countries have practiced this for decades.

Recently hung out with a Chinese women in her twenties and to her studying 12 hours per day for a child was completely natural.

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#38

Post by stevenwoo » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:42 PM UTC

imglorp wrote: post #25

ausjke wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

gosh this sounds like a revolution in the cooking state, is this totally true? maybe not that bad I hope. the big problems are the debt and the house bubble, one of them blows up will cause serious issues, so far so good it seems.

Last time they stood up to speak, 10,000 students were murdered in public to make an example. They might think twice now.

If the government suppresses the history of the event in China, how are the protesters of tomorrow supposed to know to think twice?

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#39

Post by merpnderp » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:43 PM UTC

eumenides1 wrote: post #11

“In my experience young people, especially the post-90s generation, are reluctant to work overtime – they are more self-centered,” says labour rights expert Li Jupeng, one of many who have observed some millennials challenging the 996 concept. self-centered is a funny word. It implies selfish, but is it really selfish if it's self-preservation?

Self-preservation is the most selfish thing you can be centered on, and it is absolutely ethically and morally correct. Being self-centered is what makes free markets successful, as in pitting your self interests against others, brings out the most productive aspects of everyone involved.

Re: Young Chinese are sick of working long hours

#40

Post by Micrococonut » Thu, May 10, 2018, 2:43 PM UTC

kevas wrote: post #28

collyw wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Me. I think I am underpaid (actually I think most devs in my country are underpaid) so i don't do it with the exception of when I made a major cock up and the team was waiting on me.

Serious question: why do you think you're underpaid? Why do you feel you should be making more. The market has said that you're currently worth/getting paid X. So... why think you're Y?

Why would you assume that what he is being paid is his current market value? It's entirely possible that he is being paid well under his market value, thus creating feelings of being underpaid.