Opening Douyin and Xiaohongshu, we see wealthy people everywhere, but when we check our own wallets, we find only a meager amount in savings. We can witness the revelry of the rich and imagine a day when we can join their ranks, thus feeling motivated.
In ancient times, Shang Yang established the "Five Techniques of Controlling the People," which are to deceive the people, weaken the people, exhaust the people, humiliate the people, and impoverish the people.
Deceiving the people means to confine the thoughts of the common folk. Weakening the people refers to diminishing their strength. Exhausting the people means to keep them running around tirelessly. Humiliating the people is to enslave them mentally. Impoverishing the people means that the common folk can only possess the bare minimum of money.
Recently, I went to a chain massage parlor with a friend and asked the technicians about their working hours. The technician said they work from morning till night, and it's very tiring, with hardly any hours for proper rest.
I asked what they do during their rest time, and she said they sleep. After working so hard, it's not easy to finally get some rest, so they make sure to sleep well for a couple of days.
When idle, chaos arises; extending working hours is a fundamental management principle of the company.
With economic development, we enjoy more material wealth than our parents did. In the past, it was about poverty alleviation; now, it's about everyone striving for a moderately prosperous and affluent life.
But why are we not happy? Because houses and cars have become necessities, and loans suppress our desire to enjoy life. If you want to rest, new demands arise that keep you running around.
If everyone becomes wealthy, then who will do the dirty, tiring, and hard work?