Once, the phrase "the world is so big" voiced the sentiments and the longing for freedom under societal pressure felt by working professionals, and was hailed as "the most heartfelt resignation letter."
Yesterday, the topic #OnceTheWorldWasSoBigIWantedToSeeItDidYou# went viral on Weibo. The moment I saw this screen-flooding topic, my first thought was that Teacher Gu might be making another foray into the "entertainment circle." Compared to the entertainment industry, the "opinion circle" has even higher barriers to entry. Back then, a few years ago, Teacher Gu, in a moment of passion, wrote what became known as the most heartfelt resignation letter, quickly rising to become the champion of the opinion circle that year. This was followed by a flurry of media interviews and widespread public commentary, with the topic sweeping across the nation. The reasons behind it—a mix of the courage to resign and see the world, the pressures of rapid development, the helplessness of youth, and the voices of the workplace—all these emotions intertwined complexly and burst forth in the simple line: "The world is so big, I want to see it." It truly was the perfect storm of timing, place, and sentiment. So it’s no surprise that the Weibo topic about "once the world was so big" is heating up again, emerging right after the Two Sessions, and in 2016—the year of scandals, economic downturn pressures, and now another wave of young people eager to go out, explore, play, and wander.
In my view, the reason the "once the world was so big" topic took off so rapidly is that it captured the spirit of spring blossoms and the perfect season for travel. Speaking of which, I’d also like to chat with everyone about a new form of family activity in the age of the "sharing economy." Just as Ofo and Mobike have taken bike-sharing to the extreme, solving the last 100-meter problem, so too has the short-term rental industry—represented recently by ads for platforms like Ant Short Stay in subway cars—made sharing one’s own home a reality, offering an excellent solution to today’s high housing prices. You can make use of your idle home time to earn extra income to offset mortgage payments, while also continually meeting new friends, realizing an intersection of different lives. At home, you’re the host; out and about, you’re the guest. Truly achieving the wish that "if you have a confidant, distance cannot keep you apart." This really marks a new era in the evolution of internet-based economics.
Generations from the 70s, 80s, and 90s all have the sharing economy to thank—it has taken the abstract notion of "resource sharing" and truly integrated it into the everyday lives of ordinary people, touching everything from food and clothing to housing and transportation. Yet, the older generation never imagined that besides buying and selling, their homes could also be rented out short-term to earn money.
Let every family in China go on a spontaneous trip. As the saying goes: Leaving home is like coming home; my home is your home. Though every home is different, sharing lets us roam free.