On
China’s internet, “involution” became the word of the year in 2020, followed by “laying flat” in 2021 and “run” this year. Although a tongue-in-cheek take of life in the country, each word captures the sentiment of the affluent urban middle class at the time.
Involution refers to excessive competition in
Chinese society, while laying flat is a direct response to that contentious environment. Run – as in, flee the country – gained momentum this year after
Shanghai was put under a draconian
Covid-19 lockdown.