The fake commute: How China's unemployed save face
FXI•Unemployed Chinese are pretending to go to work to avoid worrying or upsetting relatives, as weak hiring, property market troubles and AI-driven redundancies strain the job market. Related posts have drawn more than 70 million views on RedNote, 610 million on Douyin and up to 320 million on Weibo.
1. Hiding unemployment
Some unemployed Chinese leave home and follow workday routines to conceal their joblessness from family members. Coco Li, 32, quit a state-owned property firm more than six months ago, citing heavy workloads and little recognition; she said her mother's anxiety would not solve her problems.
2. A widely shared routine
Posts offering advice on where to spend the day and how to dodge questions about work have drawn more than 70 million views on RedNote, 610 million on Douyin and up to 320 million on Weibo. People describe spending time in parks, libraries, cafes and shopping malls. One user wrote about receiving 80 rejections after applying for jobs.
3. Economic pressures
Analysts cited weak hiring, property market troubles, tight local government finances, automation and AI adoption as pressures on jobs and incomes. Cornell University associate professor Diana Fu said pretending to work can help people save face and potentially defuse collective discontent. University at Buffalo assistant professor Yige Dong said China's relatively thin social safety net could make it harder for people to maintain the pretence.
