World
‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adults
Source: The Guardian · Published

Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of ‘raising bricks’ Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks. Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,”…
Key points
- Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of ‘raising bricks’ Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks.
- Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing.
- “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,”…
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