Recently, the last word on social ** has become popular - "county winner".
During the Chinese New Year, many migrant workers in big cities returned to their hometowns and felt the consumption level of their hometowns, and their hearts were greatly shocked.
In recent years, we have heard a lot of information about consumption downgrades, but in some counties, consumption has instead been upgraded.
A lot of people around, wearing more than four-figure clothes, driving more than six-figure cars, and living in houses that they bought in full.
Some of them work within the system, while others have been in business for many years.
They are close to home, so they can go home at noon to finish their meal and then take a nap at home.
The day's work ends early, and when I get home, I can eat the hot dinner cooked by my parents.
Or, grab a meal at your favorite restaurant and chat with your friends.
If you like to exercise, you can also go to the gym to sweat a sweat, or you can go for a run in the park.
However, many young people who struggle in big cities are in a different situation.
They wore clothes worth dozens of dollars, rode small four-figure electric donkeys, and lived in small rooms rented for thousands of yuan.
With a daily rush for life, most people commute for an hour or more.
In the case of economic instability, they are always worried about the company's cost reduction and efficiency increase, and they are afraid that they may lose their jobs at any time.
Take our hometown, for example, a medium-sized city with an official population of 900,000.
Over the years, with the development of the city, the hometown has Impression City, Wanda and Ole.
Every time I go shopping at the outlets, I see that the parking lot is full of cars, not only local cars, but also many people who have driven from other places to shop.
During the holidays, the parking lot in front of the outlet is even more difficult to find, and you need to go to the parking lot next to it to find a vacant space.
During the Chinese New Year, my family and I went to the movies and found that a new Wanda had opened opposite.
Many of my friends and classmates don't have the pressure of a mortgage or car loan, they don't have to rent a house, and they can still save money every year.
Life in the county town seems comfortable and affluent, which makes the migrant workers struggling in the big city feel an unprecedented anxiety and envy.
They began to wonder if they had made the right choice and whether they should leave the big city with fierce competition and return to that seemingly prosperous county to develop.
I occasionally wonder if it would be a better choice to go back to my hometown.
However, what we see may be just the tip of the iceberg.
Behind this prosperity, in fact, it is supported by a specific group.
Some of these "county winners" have a work or family background within the system, and some have relatively rich assets in business in the early years.
They live in abundance and enjoy the comforts and conveniences of small cities.
In the county, they enjoy a stable and comfortable life, do not need to worry about housing and car loans, and have spare money to taste the beauty of life.
Their parents have pensions and the family is in harmony.
These people, whether in a small county or a big city, are winners in life.
Their success is largely due to their family background and institutional protection, or the dividends they seized in their early years.
Their presence has made the hard-working migrant workers in the big cities feel unprecedented pressure.
However, for most migrant workers in big cities, the county seat is not an ideal destination.
Although the economic foundation of the county is rising and the resources are becoming more and more abundant, there is still a big gap compared with the big cities, and there are not many development opportunities that are really suitable for migrant workers in big cities.
In the county, the choice of industry is relatively limited, and job opportunities outside the system are even more scarce.
For those who don't have a family background and work within the system, life in the county may not be as good as it seems.
Moreover, the interpersonal relationships in the county are complicated and the social class is solidified, and it is difficult for newcomers to break the inherent pattern.
In this environment, it is difficult for outsiders to access the same resources and opportunities as natives unless they have some existing resources to draw on.
This makes it difficult for many people to find a suitable foothold, even if they want to return.
Furthermore, for those who crave freedom and pursue personal values, the pace of life in the county may be too slow, lacking in excitement and challenge.
In large cities, despite the high cost of living and fierce competition, it offers more job opportunities, a more level playing field, and a richer cultural life.
For those who are eager to change and pursue their dreams, the big cities offer a wider stage.
Choosing to stay in the big city or go back to the county seat is a complex decision.
The prosperity of the county is not a universal phenomenon, but a privilege of a particular group.
Everyone's situation is different, and there is no absolute good or bad.
When considering whether to return to the county for development, we need to analyze rationally and recognize the truth of the county's economy, rather than being confused by the superficial prosperity.
In the pursuit of a better life, we should make the most suitable choice according to our actual situation.
Whether we stay in a big city or return to a small county, we should cherish our choices, live hard, and constantly pursue a better version of ourselves.
Because, no matter how far we go, the road under our feet is our own choice and an indispensable part of our life journey.