Explainer | Why resetting social relationships to remove distant contacts is gaining momentum in China
‘Flowers do not bloom because of screens, grass does not flourish because of screens,’ a digital detox group manager advises
A social trend of removing distant contacts and resetting social relationships has emerged among young people in China.
This phenomenon, referred to as “interpersonal relationship reset syndrome”, has gone viral in Japan and resonates with many in China.
Fatigued by the demands of maintaining extensive social networks, some individuals have opted for the drastic measure of deleting distant contacts and even their social media accounts to completely disengage from acquaintances.
According to a survey conducted by Cross Marketing, around 37 per cent of individuals aged 20 to 60 in Japan have either engaged in or contemplated an “interpersonal relationship reset”.
Digital reset
Dr Paul Wong Wai-ching, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of Hong Kong, told the Post that young people are deleting contacts and social media accounts to forge a “new identity”.