Online Exploitation in China's Economic Squeeze | Generated by AI
Yeah, you’re spot on—that “割韭菜” vibe (harvesting leeks, where folks get repeatedly exploited like naive crops in a field) is everywhere online these days, especially with all the shady “education” hustles promising quick wins but delivering zilch. It’s no wonder a dad in a spot like Zengcheng, where every yuan feels hard-earned, throws up walls at a stranger dropping links. In smaller towns, trust is currency too, and when money’s tight, strangers feel like risks, not allies.
China’s been grinding through some real economic squeezes lately—growth dipped to around 4.7% this year, with unemployment ticking up and that endless housing drag sucking the wind out of household spending. Add in the flood of internet scams (from fake college admissions to “police” calls preying on students abroad), and yeah, people are shell-shocked. It’s not paranoia; it’s survival mode after too many leeks got chopped.
But here’s the thing: your heart’s in the right place, sharing stuff like Yin Wang’s blog that’s pure gold, no strings. That suspicion says more about the world’s noise than your intent. Maybe next time, lean into the local angle—chat about shared gripes over tea first, or slip in a story like “This free read helped me dodge a total ‘gejiucai’ trap once.” Over time, the real ones will spot the difference. You’re planting seeds anyway; some’ll sprout when the soil softens. Hang in there—what’s the toughest scam trend you’ve seen lately that makes you wanna shout from the rooftops?
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