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For the past few years, the buzzword tangping has circulated on Chinese social media, reflecting dissatisfaction and uncooperativeness with the harsh work environments and competitiveness imbued in Chinese society. As it stands in direct contrast to the optimism and productivity promoted in the mainstream political and cultural discourse within Xi Jinping’s China, the tangping trend has been publicly condemned by the government through official statements and news reporting, along with its causes and implications being extensively analyzed by scholars. This study aims to analyze discussions around the trend in a Chinese state media outlet through the application of Thematic Analysis, identify themes in the discourse, as well as place these themes in the context of existing research. The study’s findings indicate that although much of the discourse is centered around the promotion of productivity and young people’s responsibility to their country, there are also many acknowledgements that the tangping phenomenon reflects serious societal issues especially affecting the Chinese youth.