China’s graduates hit back as Communist Party tells them not to be picky about jobs

Chinese Communist Party's propaganda machine has started telling young people in China that they shouldn't be too picky about the work they do

New Delhi: The ruling Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda machine has started telling young people in China that they shouldn’t be too picky about the work they do, even if they hold high-level qualifications from top universities, according to a media report.

A social media post from the Communist Party Youth League and state broadcaster CCTV hit out at growing online complaints from highly qualified graduates about lack of employment opportunity, as more than 11 million young people graduated this year only to face the prospect of gruelling shift work in the gig economy, Radio Free Asia reported.

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The complaints went viral on a recent social media hashtag referencing a scholarly anti-hero from a story by late revolutionary author Lu Xun.

The Youth League and CCTV post hit back, saying that “the value of academic qualifications can only be realised when one’s potential is fully explored in creative, practical activities”.

“The scholar’s long gown can shackle the mind, and temporary difficulties do not equal a lifetime of failure,” it said.

It was picked up in copycat editorials and short videos following the same line, including one short video on Bilibili in which a young woman is shown making deliveries to a home and removing packaging, while musing that having a degree shouldn’t ‘shackle’ the mind, RFA reported.

However, the propaganda attempt immediately sparked further backlash.

Some comments supported the government line, but many doubled down on complaints of a lack of good jobs after years of personal investment and sacrifice by themselves and their families to get them a university education, RFA reported.

“If turning screws [menial labour] made enough money to support a family and buy a home and a car, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it. The problem is that it doesn’t,” wrote @GloryToKingBukharas.

“Workers should be given the remuneration and respect they deserve – we can take off the scholarly gown, but we’re not going to take off our pants as well, which is respect and remuneration,” wrote @gogoLing0103, RFA reported.