To grow bigger by belittling oneself

When underachievers thrust themselves into the spotlight, their display of self-debasement sets off alarms in a go-getter culture.

The first time I detected a major rift in public perception toward the rising tide in the mentality of underachieving in China was the backlash that ensued after filmmaker Feng Xiaogang commented on an Internet meme.

He was puzzled that the word diaosi was spreading like wildfire and, more surprisingly, used as a self-description. The literal meaning for the word is pubic hair for man and, as the male genitalia is sometimes used to disparage, diaosi refers to someone extremely insignificant. Why would a self-respecting person call himself that, Feng wondered publicly, to which he was accused of losing touch with the gestalt.