Following “lying flat” and “mad literature”, “indifference” has become a common label for young people. It denotes emotional numbness and social detachment, a way to resist external negativity. For young Chinese who feel out of sync with their times, striving often seems pointless. They adopt a mindset of “success is luck; failure is fate” as self-protection and a form of resistance. While “indifference” may seem passive, it could be the calm before a storm. After all, in an era of “rise up or leave”, even the strong and capable may disregard principles. — Bai Yi