Hello! I'm your financial journalist and friend, also an economist. This article, written by "Song Wuyi," appears to be a personal essay about life as a migrant in Hong Kong, filled with emotional outpourings and daily complaints. However, if we look beyond the surface, it provides a very typical microcosm of the stress and psychological adjustments faced by the middle class in high-cost areas.
It reflects the psychological transformation that many ordinary people struggling in first-tier cities—especially ones with high living costs and competitive pressures, like Hong Kong—are going through, from a state of illusion to a more realistic perspective.
Below, I will break down this seemingly casual text into five key aspects to help you understand the economic logic and the realities of life behind it.
1. The Economics After the Illusions Are Broken: When Income Falls Short of Inflation and Expectations
The article's opening mentions "broken illusions," "boredom," and "life being as tasteless as plain water"—these are not just signs of low mood but a true reflection of decreasing economic value:
- Misalignment between Income and Expenses: The author says, "My family's situation is manageable; our income is enough for living, but there's a slight gap." This indicates that even in a place with high incomes like Hong Kong, there is a significant gap between "having enough" and being "affluent." Many migrants in Hong Kong do not have enough, suggesting that the lower-middle-class groups are under great pressure.
- Declining Marginal Utility: The initial excitement about the beauty of Hong Kong and the quality of life came from the novelty and the sense of identity that immigration brought. Now that the novelty has faded, what remains is a stark calculation of cost-effectiveness. If the money earned after covering high rent and living expenses does not lead to the expected improvements in quality of life (such as buying a house, providing for children's education, or enjoying leisure), the sense of meaning in life diminishes rapidly.
- Conclusion: This is not just a personal complaint but a common issue in cities with high costs. When "high income" only covers "high expenses" without generating enough "surplus value" to enhance happiness, people feel empty.
2. The Reality of the Workplace: Hard Work May Not Be Recognized, and Cognitive Differences Are the Biggest Cost
The author discusses how "changing jobs is unpleasant," "not doing well enough to be noticed," and "how everyone has vastly different notions of right and wrong." This reveals a harsh economic principle in the workplace: information asymmetry and subjective evaluations:
- Non-linear Returns on Effort: In many industries, especially service or creative fields, there is no direct proportional relationship between effort and rewards (promotions, salary increases, recognition). Even if you perform well, if it doesn't align with the boss's or client's expectations, your efforts may still be ignored.
- High Costs of Communication: The author's reluctance to argue about minor issues is a strategy to avoid unnecessary emotional and time-consuming conflicts. In the workplace, trying to change others' perceptions is highly inefficient.
- Survival Wisdom for Ordinary People: Choosing to stop arguing and focus on one's main job is a mature professional approach. Acknowledging cognitive differences and concentrating on deliverables that can be controlled is the most effective way to reduce workplace anxiety.
3. The Demise of the Media Myth: From Traffic Bonuses to Emotional Venting Platforms
The middle of the article discusses the自媒体 industry, noting a shift from commercialization to focusing on providing an outlet for emotions. This reflects a sharp decline in the marginal benefits of personal IP management:
- Fading Traffic Bonuses: In the early days of social media, sharing personal life could attract attention and generate income. However, with increased content homogenization and algorithmic preferences for more sensational and specialized content, ordinary people's lifestyle posts are less likely to gain significant traffic.
- Opportunity Cost: The author has a 9-to-5 job, meaning time is precious. Continuing to manage a media account requires time for creation, responding to comments, and dealing with content restrictions. This time could be better spent on spending time with family or improving skills, which would yield higher long-term benefits than short-term traffic gains.
- Reclassifying Media as a Venting Tool: Viewing social media as a platform for emotional expression rather than a business means redefining its purpose. Once the goal is no longer profit or fame, the content becomes more genuine and may attract a more engaged audience.
4. Educational Anxiety and the Reality of "Mean Reversion": Accepting Imperfection
The section about the Hong Kong primary school entrance exam reflects an economist's perspective. The author advises to "relax," "adjust expectations," and "accept that children will likely perform at an average level":
- Rational Management of Educational Investments: In the past, many families invested heavily in their children's education with high expectations. Now, the author accepts that most children will end up at an average level, which is a rational way to manage expectations.
- Reducing Sunk Costs: Anxiety and arguments over poor grades can harm family relationships and health. Accepting this helps protect the family's emotional capital.
- A Realistic Self-Perception: The author acknowledges that everyone is just an ordinary person. With limited resources, striving for perfection is unproductive. Focusing on the process rather than the outcome is a more sustainable family strategy.
5. Choosing a City: Balancing Arrogance and Reality
The author's critique of Hong Kong—its arrogance, limited industries, and high costs—is balanced by the value of family and future prospects:
- Comparative Advantages of Cities: While Hong Kong has its disadvantages, it also has strengths that attract people. This shows that there is no perfect city; it's about finding the one that suits you.
- Sunk Costs and Emotional Bonds: People stay despite the drawbacks because family and future hopes are intangible emotional assets that outweigh the physical environment.
- A Long-Term Approach: The author encourages perseverance, recognizing that short-term challenges (boredom, job difficulties, average children) can be outweighed by a stable family and a focused life and career.
In summary, although the article is full of complaints, its core message is one of clarity and pragmatism:
- In high-cost cities, let go of the illusion of a luxurious life and accept what is sufficient.
- In the workplace, reduce unnecessary arguments and focus on deliverables to avoid internal strife.
- In the media world, use sharing as a way to express emotions, not as a business tool.
- In education, accept the reality of average performance and protect family emotional capital.
- When choosing a city, emotional connections and family stability are more important than the physical environment.
For ordinary people, imperfection is the norm, acceptance is wisdom, and focus is the key to a better life. This is the profound economic and life philosophy behind these reflections from a migrant in Hong Kong.