In China, more and more people are losing it. While this is probably nothing new, they’ve certainly become more visible after the Covid pandemic, and there is increasing openness about it. Not that there’s an alternative: some things can no longer remain hidden, even in China.
There is a lot of stress in China, particularly among young adults. After a stressful period in which they face huge pressure from their parents to gather as many degrees and titles as possible, there is the strain of not being able to find work. That marks the start of a vicious circle: you don't have a job, you can't buy a flat; and without a flat, you can forget about the marriage marketplace. Nobody wants to marry someone with no job, no flat and/or no car. It’s a dire situation, and most of the increase in violent crime is due to financial or family problems.
This sometimes leads to deeds that are common in the West too, such as running one’s car into a large crowd. Such cases used to be covered up by the authorities through removing flowers from crime scenes and deleting any messages on social media. These actions were not received well, forcing the government to open its eyes and address the situation.
