Low wages. Poor prospects. Constant pressure. Chinese youth are coping with their tough circumstances by adopting a bleak outlook on life known as sang. Manifested in memes, pop culture and self-deprecating consumerism, how can brands use this worldview to connect with struggling citizens?

Despite the infamous Great Firewall, China’s netizens are outgrowing internet users across the rest of the world. But what are they spending their online lives doing in the landscape that exists beyond the Wall? And what – if anything – is the rest of the world missing out on?

A sexual awakening is occurring in China. As young people experiment with sex, drugs and civil disobedience, this shift has shades of the West’s cultural upheaval in the ‘60s. But are conservative values still shackling the majority? And to what extent can China’s youth really cut loose?

In China, calling someone a diaosi – which directly translates as ’penis hair’ – isn’t an insult. On the contrary, millions of Chinese in dead-end jobs, with no car, house or girlfriend identify with the term, wearing it as a badge of honour. But could self-deprecation be a danger to society?