Civilizations That Forget Themselves Invite Others In
When a civilization stops believing in its own traditions, its youth will go searching for meaning somewhere else.
The argument: Cultural confidence is eroding in the West, and trends like “Chinamaxxing” reveal how quickly people will romanticize other civilizations when their own traditions are neglected.
WHY IT MATTERS
A strange cultural trend has been spreading online. Western influencers are joking (or half-seriously claiming) that they have “recently become Chinese.” On TikTok and Instagram, users post videos adopting habits they associate with Chinese life: drinking warm water for health, wearing indoor slippers, practicing longevity exercises, or embracing slower, ritualized routines. The meme, dubbed “Chinamaxxing,” has become a viral shorthand for a broader sentiment: that another civilization appears more rooted, cohesive, and confident than the West currently feels.
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