
Davidzhu
@DavidzhuLife
Jun 29, 2026, 09:35 AM
Why Do Chinese People Always Think 'Having Fun' Is a Bad Thing?
Chinese people generally feel guilty about 'having fun'. This is a deeply ingrained concept that makes us anxious as soon as we start to enjoy ourselves, feeling like we're wasting time and should be working, earning money, and being a slave to our jobs instead. It's as if we can only feel at ease when we're busy working.
Our lives have always been driven by the need to keep moving forward: work, earn money, work some more, and earn even more. But many people can't even explain why they're working so hard; they just know they can't stop. As soon as they do, they feel like everyone else is moving ahead while they're falling behind.
I think I've finally figured out that this fear comes from our childhood education. When we were kids, our parents would always say, 'Stop playing and start studying!' As a result, we've linked 'having fun' with feelings of guilt, and we've been trained to associate being busy with being correct and taking a break with being in danger.
So, many people grow up unable to truly enjoy life, not because they don't know how, but because they've been conditioned to feel anxious when they're idle and guilty when they relax. This guilt is like an invisible chain that restricts our freedom to enjoy life.




