Yang WeiQi, Normaliza Abd Rahim and Benjamin Loh Yew Hoong, *Nurzihan Hassim

Abstract:

“Sang culture”, a cultural phenomenon pervasive among Chinese youths is characterised by expressions of resignation and pessimism in their social media engagements. Inculcated by an interplay of structured social and educational practices as well as strict government policies, the Sang culture is a deeply ingrained social expression that voices out resistance and non-conformity of the said youths. This study explores the proliferation of the Sang culture, outlines its implications, and navigates the ensuing challenges. Using the foundation of the Social Comparison Theory, the study found that the “downwards comparison” element dominated and were heavily applied by selected informants from the Generation Z cohort through semi-structured interviews that were conducted, but also saw positive “upwards comparison” in terms of togetherness in the social discourse. The influence of family expectations, along with stressful work environments fostered by rigorous academic expectations has also shaped the prevalence of the Sang culture.

Keywords: Sang culture, Chinese youth, generation z, social media, social comparison