China's unemployed Gen Z are proudly calling themselves 'rat people' and spending entire days in bed

Millions of Gen Z around the world are currently jobless . A significant chunk of young NEETS —“not in employment, education, or training”—are well-qualified and want to work, but just can’t land a job . And then there’s “rat people” who are taking to social media to celebrate ditching work for a slower life. Experts say it’s a “quiet protest” against burnout and the current job market.

The millennial era of “work hard, play harder” and “girl bossing” has given way to a new trend. In China, at least, Gen Zers are proudly calling themselves “rat people”—they’re spending entire days procrastinating in bed, scrolling on their phones, snoozing, and ordering take out.

Across Weibo , RedNote, Douyin, you can find videos of the youngest generation of adults waking up, only to go back