admin
Ms G
In 1969, American anthropologist Clifford James Geertz wrote a book: “Agricultural Involution: The Processes of Ecological Change in Indonesia”. It was an examination of Indonesia’s agricultural systems to find out why agricultural production in Java was becoming more labour intensive when on the other islands it was utilising more capital and technology.
The process of intensification without meaningful change was described as “agricultural involution”.
Little did Geertz know that, half a century later, the term involution became a buzzword in China, although with a different meaning.
In 2020, it was picked up by Chinese Internet users to refer to the tough competition going on in all aspects of life, whereby people are making every effort to beat their competitors for the limited resources and in the process getting burnt out.
Going viral together with the word were pictures of Chinese college students working on a laptop or reading while riding a bike and studying in a bed full of books.
Then everyone began to see its relevance to their own life. In offices, when someone chooses to stay for another hour after work, others will feel the pressure to work an extra one and a half hour.
But salaries remain unchanged. In schools, when a few students begin extra-curriculum tutoring, others will have to follow suit in order not to fall behind.
In the labour market, where a bachelors’ degree is good enough for a position, opportunities are scooped up by masters and PhDs.
Even at home, moms are no longer content with being able to cook and clean for a child; they are picking up English, Maths, Musical instruments, the more the merrier, to be an all-purpose coach.
A popular joke explains the situation with the Chinese version of involution. A parent asked on a social platform, “My kid is four years old. He only knows 1,500 English words. Is it enough?” Someone answered, “Certainly enough if you are in the US. But not in Beijing.”
While involution usually describes a vicious competition, I find it hard sometimes to draw a clear line between good and bad competition.
People always marvel at China’s stunning progress in a short of span of decades. The country seems to have travelled in light speed a journey that took developed nations centuries to complete. But the Chinese are not genetically modified to be more efficient or intelligent. There is no shortcut either. Only extremely hard work.
You never know your full potential unless you push yourself hard enough. Having been in Zimbabwe for quite some time, I am still surprised by its beauty and potential from time to time.
My friends, you’ve got it all. Good weather, land, young labour force, good education. Of course the sanctions do hurt the financial flows and we condemn them vigorously. But let us not be deterred. As long as we put in real effort, no one can stop us from becoming stronger.
Online Reporter