The current social issue called 'Lying Flat', which Chinese psychologists have said denotes the feeling of helplessness among China's youth of today has attracted notice in academic circles. The Legal daily (Fazhi Ribao -June 16) reported that a meeting organised by students was held in the Tianjin University Law School on June 9 "to carry further the fundamental task of moral education, to guide young students in establishing a correct world view, outlook on life and values" and on the "hot topic of “lying flat”. Those who addressed the meeting included Zhao Xin, Director of the Academic Work Department of the Party Committee of the University; Li Yan, Director of the Broadcasting Center of the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of the University; Sun Youhai, Dean of the Law School, and Zhang Hao, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Law School and Vice Dean of the Law School. Sun Youhai explained that recently, on microblogs, on WeChat, on Zhihu and other online platforms, there have been articles, first titled “Lying Flat is the Right Thing to Do” and then others as “lying flat”, which have resonated among young people. The articles say “lying flat is the right thing to do” and describe how youth was able to stay “free” by spending very little and working odd jobs for two years without having any stable job. Sun Youhai said "If we allow this to continue, it will be very harmful to the long-term interests of our society and the Chinese nation. Intellectual currents in society at large will certainly affect our school. It will harm the intellectual currents at our school and impact their studies and employment. We should be guided by Xi Jinping’s socialist thought with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and carefully analyze the causes and consequences of “lie flat studies” from a practical point of view". The Legal Daily reported that a number of students spoke at the meeting. "The students believed that as young people, they should refuse to “lie flat”, stand erect and do self-reflection. Some students said that they should consider their personal, family, country and society and establish correct values in life rather than narrowly focusing on their personal interests or immediate advantage". They should "add bricks and tiles to the construction of the rule of law in the Republic, and be the new person for these times who is brave enough to take up heavy responsibilities".
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