This article is from the WeChat official account: Zhiqu classmate (ID: liuzhiqu7788), the author: Liu Zhiqu, the original title: "The middle class seems happier after the consumption retrogression", the title source: Visual China
The collective demise of the new middle class is essentially a fading of the "dividend period" of the industry.
About two years ago, when the global economic growth slowed down, the industry declined, and prices rose, the new urban middle class that had risen in the past due to industry dividends, such as the Internet, finance, the system in developed regions, and rising house prices, began to follow the trend of the times and reshape their consumption habits.
On social media such as Douban, Zhihu and Xiaohongshu, they discussed all topics about consumption demotion with great interest, shared various money saving strategies, thought about how to spend small money to do big things, and had fun.
It's not that three rooms and two halls can't be rented, but the old and the broken are more cost-effective; Not that Archaeopteryx can't afford it, but Uniqlo is more cost-effective; Not that GUCCI can't afford it, but canvas bags are more cost-effective; It's not that a taxi is unaffordable, but that taking the subway is more cost-effective.
Farewell to the "mountain climbing rat" and put on the "Decathlon", and then return to consumption itself, and move towards minimalism. For the middle class, everything seems to be quiet again.
It turns out that no one can really be coerced by consumerism, and everything is just hype and imagination of some groups.
But frankly speaking, this is not the consumption mode that the falling middle class truly advocates, but after experiencing the ups and downs of life, great joys and sorrows, Realizing that everything is just an awakening after stepping on the dividend of the times.
The "social illusion" brought about by the reform dividend of the past 40 years has made us used to such a life of rapid progress, thus ignoring the objective laws of history. If we go back to the long river of historical development, a person's life will experience at least one of the disasters such as plague, war and hunger.
Now in such a low period, it is not good for individuals, but it does not seem to have no benefits at all. For example, it can make people see clearly their inner desires and distinguish the truth and falsehood that life just needs.
When the middle class is no longer walking on the road of life, they finally have the opportunity to experience some simple happiness that they did not care about during the years of rapid economic growth.
Sense of gain brought by rational consumption
As far as I am concerned about the feelings of the middle class around me, in real life, the life of the majority of the middle class after the demotion of consumption is not as bitter as what the media said.
All we have done is to eliminate the flashy and showy consumption in the past and choose a rational lifestyle of "province, flower".
I don't know if you have such a feeling that most of the time, ordinary families spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on their daily expenses. Instead, they spend tens or hundreds of dollars on small expenses, which accumulate to a large amount inadvertently. As a result, they earn a lot, but at the end of the year, they found that there was no savings on hand.
Many middle-class people are also aware of this, so in terms of basic life, they begin to focus on screening out the real necessities of life, and say goodbye to the consumption of clothes, bags, coffee cups, mobile phone cases and other categories that can never be bought out on a whim.
Secondly, the middle class is becoming less and less loyal to the brand. They are not willing to pay for the brand premium and pay more attention to the value and practicality of the product itself, which may be seen from Starbucks' swollen face.
Take myself as an example. Last winter, I started a small brand base coat with a try attitude. The daily price was only 60 or 70 yuan, but the actual quality was really a popular brand that didn't lose 100 or 200 yuan.
So why should I pay for the marketing expenses of those popular online brands? Can you enjoy paying for advertising?
Of course, not all consumer goods can be replaced, but even so, everyone has begun to take the initiative to find promotions and discounts to save money.
Although the ability of middle class people to make money may not be as good as before, there is still infinite potential in identifying high cost performance ratio, rejecting consumption experience or brand premium.
In addition, the consumption willingness of the middle class in tourism and entertainment is also much lower than before. For example, ski tours that were pulled up by the Winter Olympics effect, I think there were not many people still playing in the circle of friends last winter, which may be a return to the minority.
It is also worth mentioning the "special forces travel" that has sprung up. In fact, this kind of play method became popular among Japanese young people 20 years ago. In short, it is to constantly reduce the travel radius, or even the proportion of overnight travel, so as to achieve the goal of saving the most money.
In general, most middle class people have not reduced their pursuit of quality life, But instead of focusing on nihilistic brands and additional experiences, they began to manage their own finances more carefully and pay more attention to value and actual benefits.
Such "consumption retrograde" has never been the "consumption bankruptcy" advocated on the Internet. Instead, the sense of security and gain brought by the increasing balance on the bank card is a kind of happiness that makes the middle class more down-to-earth.
Relaxation after returning to life
In the past, most middle class people were "roll kings" who fought in the front line. They used to roll jobs, education, investment and everything.
Now, when the work has lost the imagination of continuing to move forward, naturally no one will roll the sky and roll the ground as before, and all know to save time for themselves.
The saying "no desire is just" is equally useful in the workplace. The middle class without desire performs their own duties, and it is much easier to see leaders and colleagues. Going to and from work on time, going to bed and getting up on time have improved both physically and mentally.
Secondly, let's talk about investment. Most of the people who bought houses these years are new middle class people born in 85-95. If they are lucky, the dividends of the times may be a little bit, but they also took the last stick of real estate and stood up for the last shift. The times will take back what they gave you.
Over the years, the stock market and bank financing have taught the middle class one lesson after another. Each time, the middle class feels that they must be "stable" in this wave, but in fact, it is more "cruel" in this wave.
No one will always have a head iron, and those who have always had a head iron will finally have no head, so everyone will honestly rush to deposit a fixed amount.
Finally, let's talk about the training of children. In the past, we learned English in the first three or five years, and learned Olympic math in the second four or six years. The rich rolled equestrian golf on weekends, while the less wealthy rolled a piano and danced. Anyway, the middle class had their own ways.
But now, when the society has returned to its proper stability from class turbulence, the middle class has seen through the essence of social operation. It will not be difficult to study in the future, but it will be difficult to study in good universities like Qingbei and C9.
But did the kids who got into these universities depend on chickens? Obviously not, it was screened out by screening genes.
So the piano, which was started with 50000 yuan, only hung 5000 yuan on the salted fish. Hurry to release it not only for children but also for yourself.
Life is indeed a relay race to take over the baton from parents. The starting position determines the degree of leadership, but life is more of a marathon. The gap between most people at the beginning of the race can be leveled within a few laps. The most important thing to play in this game is to have good health.
So the middle class began to focus on the physical and mental health of their children instead of the scores on the test papers. They talked in the evenings on weekdays and climbed mountains on weekends. It was wonderful for every member of the family.
Sure enough, life is a process of being hammered slowly day after day. As we grow older, our desire is also decreasing.
The middle class, tired and pretending for half a lifetime, finally chose to return to real life.
They no longer care about the false feeling. The middle class began to care more about their families and themselves, and they also picked up the relaxation and happiness of "wife and children hot kang head" in ordinary life.
Relaxation brought by freedom of soul
I often see that some middle-class people still maintain their original intention while spending against the trend.
This initial intention may be to try every means to reduce the budget, and also take the children to a less comfortable and stingy trip;
It may be a concert with your lover, even if you sit in the last row, you will listen attentively;
It may also be that I spent the whole day of the weekend, taking the bus with my friends to drink a cup of delicious coffee at the foot of the mountain in the suburbs
Some people may ask, what is the significance of this?
I think it may be that in the middle age life with difficulties, middle class people still have the desire to look far away and feel the longing for life with their lovers and friends in this tired and trivial daily life.
However, Zhongchan really didn't care about other people's eyes at the beginning and didn't bother with the present. Maybe it is also a kind of growth for them.
The beauty of life does not always depend on material things, but also the relaxation brought by the freedom of the soul.
The middle-class people who have gone against the trend of consumption seem to understand life better and are really happier.
This article is from the WeChat official account: Zhiqu classmate (ID: liuzhiqu7788), and the author: Liu Zhiqu
This content is the author's independent point of view and does not represent the position of Hu Xiu. No reproduction without permission. For authorization, please contact hezuo@huxiu.com
