Summary of the Key Points
This interview is a conversation between Professor Cheng Lesong from the Department of Philosophy at Peking University and Phoenix Network Reading, focusing on the concerns of young people such as anxiety, burnout, and life choices. Drawing from his own life experiences and philosophical perspective, he offers practical advice: Oppose excessive expectations and meticulous planning; emphasize a bottom-line mindset; remind people not to mistake others' “filtered” lives for ideals; advocate for finding meaning in the ordinary moments of daily life, and use focus and acceptance to combat burnout.
Detailed Analysis
1. Young People's Burnout: Not Due to Intense Competition, but Rather to Over-Expectations and Dependence on Competition
Cheng Lesong believes that the root cause of young people's burnout is not competition itself, but two issues:
- Over-expectations: With the abundance of information, many people view life as a script that must be followed strictly—whether it’s pursuing postgraduate studies, finding a job, or going abroad. They fear missing out on opportunities and thus feel that there’s no future ahead. Every step feels like paving a path, yet they don’t know what lies at the end, leading to increasing fatigue without true joy (for example, in his generation, being recommended for postgraduate studies was a pleasant surprise; nowadays, it’s just a task to be completed).
- Dependence on Competition: Growing up in an environment where competition is the norm (such as academic rankings), people learn to define their worth by outperforming others. Once they step outside of this competitive framework, they struggle to find self-identity—similar to birdwatchers who compare who sees the rarer birds, forgetting the joy of the activity itself.
He jokes that his generation only worried about things like getting caught copying homework or being extorted by petty thieves, yet they didn’t have as much anxiety about their future because their minds were more relaxed.
2. Life Doesn’t Require “Meticulous Planning”: A Bottom-Line Mindset Is More Reliable Than Ambitious Goals
Cheng Lesong’s approach to life can be described as “walking on the rind of a watermelon”—he was recommended for Peking University by his homeroom teacher (his initial choice was Fudan), got admitted to graduate school without applying, and chose Hong Kong for his doctoral studies because of the shorter program duration. He argues that today’s young people plan their lives too meticulously, which actually puts them in a difficult situation.
He suggests adopting a “bottom-line mindset”: Set a minimum standard (for example, being able to support your family), which is hard to achieve; once you meet it, you’ll feel satisfied, and the rest can be considered extra benefits. He opposes setting unrealistic goals like “only attending Peking University or Tsinghua University,” saying, “How can you aim for such a goal if you don’t even know what Peking University is?” Focusing on small, immediate achievements (like improving your test scores) makes life easier.
3. Don’t Mistake Others’ “Filtered” Lives for Idals: They’re Just “Processed Images”
Many people envy others’ lives (such as staying in a homestay in Dali or becoming internet celebrities), but Cheng Lesong points out that what you see is often just a curated version of reality. For instance, the girl who went to Dali thought it would be relaxing, only to find herself without friends and with nothing to do, leading to even more despair.
He calls this phenomenon “lanscapeization”—the digital world makes it easy to extract snippets from life, presenting others’ lives as filtered images that people mistake for their own ideals. The result? “You lose the opportunity to combat burnout through imagination, which only adds to your suffering.”
He gives an example: “A classmate from my international finance program is now a chief executive at a securities firm; I can’t compete with that, but what does it matter? Is it so hard to accept being less than others?”
4. The Cure for Burnout: Return to Everyday Life and Embrace the Power of the Ordinary
People ask for meaning in life because their daily experiences are often lacking—in terms of family relationships and community connections. Virtual life blurs the boundaries between work and personal life, and people rely less on physical activities (like using rice cookers instead of cooking). Cheng believes that true meaning lies in the ordinary: For example, Fan Jinshi’s visit to Dunhuang was not about becoming a “Dunhuang expert,” but simply about focusing on her work, which eventually led to remarkable achievements. Supporting your parents, raising children well, and maintaining a harmonious family are all examples of real miracles.
He warns that a life without reflection is not worth living, but over-reflection makes daily life unbearable. Don’t constantly think about “escape mechanisms” (like quitting your job abruptly or moving back to your hometown); repeated attempts at departure only make life more fragmented. Focusing on one thing, even if it’s ordinary, can lead to surprising outcomes.
5. Don’t Let “Outcomes” Dictate Your Life: The Process Itself Is Valuable
Cheng Lesong mentions the concept of “entering a treasure mountain empty-handed”; success doesn’t only mean obtaining the treasure; the act of entering the mountain itself is valuable. For example, fishing can be enjoyable even if you don’t catch any fish, and birdwatching is worthwhile just for the experience. He opposes the pressure to achieve specific outcomes (running for fitness, obtaining certifications, or surpassing others in hobbies), arguing that dopamine provides immediate pleasure, but true happiness comes from the effort put into the process, not the result.
In Conclusion, Cheng Lesong’s advice is simple: Don’t compare yourself to others, don’t plan your life too rigidly, accept your ordinariness, and focus on the present. You’ll realize that “being alive itself is a miracle.”