& nbsp; [Reprint] According to the "Southern Metropolitan Daily" report, a graduate student employee at Huawei in Shenzhen died from overwork after a long period of continuous overtime work. The deceased, Hu Xinyu, was 25 years old and from Sichuan Province. After graduating last year from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in Chengdu, he joined Huawei's network product research and development department. In IT and other high-tech enterprises, due to industry pressure, overtime work among employees is quite common. Besides Huawei, there have also been cases in companies like ZTE where overwork has led to illness and death.
& nbsp; For a while, news of people dying prematurely due to excessive fatigue has frequently appeared in the media, and "death by overwork" has become a very common phenomenon in the Chinese workplace. Previously, the deaths of Wang Junyao, chairman of Junyang Group at the age of 38, Jiao Lianwei, a teacher at Tsinghua University at the age of 36, and Gao Wenhuan at the age of 46 caused a stir nationwide. However, cases like Hu Xinyu, who was only 25 years old and died due to overwork, are even more shocking.
& nbsp; "Death by overwork" refers to sudden death induced by chronic fatigue over a long period, which means "due to excessively long working hours, increased labor intensity, and excessive psychological stress leading to exhaustion, and even causing rapid deterioration of underlying health conditions, resulting in fatal symptoms."
& nbsp; A recent survey titled "Intellectuals' Health Survey" conducted by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences shows that in Beijing, where intellectuals are most concentrated, the average life expectancy of intellectuals dropped from 59 years old 10 years ago to 53 years old during the survey period. This is more than 20 years lower than the average life expectancy of 75.85 years in Beijing during the second national population census in 1964. The survey data indicates that 75.1% of young and middle-aged adults understand the phenomenon of working hard or even "dying from overwork," while only 18% believe that "this kind of health risk is completely avoidable." The survey found that 82% of people choose to work more than 15 hours a day, provided that "the bonus is high enough." This idea is quite prevalent among people aged 20 to 40.
& nbsp; According to statistics from the World Health Organization, the incidence of "death by overwork" is increasing year by year.
& nbsp; Money or life? From the results, except for those who have lost their sanity, probably no one would willingly give up their life for money. But from the process, to achieve success in one's career and live without worries, most people can only rely on their bodies as their only capital. Reluctantly, they prioritize earning money before focusing on preserving their health.
& nbsp; For a large group of young and middle-aged individuals, especially white-collar workers such as teachers, journalists, and researchers, the responsibilities and burdens they bear are among the heaviest in society. As members of society, they face immense pressure to develop their personal careers and stand out. Often, because of their age and experience, they are considered to "still have opportunities" and "are still young," forcing them to work tirelessly. As family members, they must deal with the pressures of caring for elderly parents and raising children, ensuring that their families, retirement, and children's education are worry-free, leaving them no choice but to work hard. This mindset is particularly strong among young and middle-aged groups.
& nbsp; At Huawei in Shenzhen, working overtime has become the company's "mattress culture," widely promoted and recognized, spreading as a spirit throughout every corner of its business operations. After all, "death by overwork" is merely an individual's "voluntary" risk undertaken for work. This risk is unpredictable and difficult to prevent. Since these effects do not manifest physically, such as through hydraulic vibration block brick machines, they are often overlooked. When it’s too late, regrets come flooding in. We often see the success of young and middle-aged individuals, envying their wealth and status, but we tend to ignore the sweat, tears, or even the depletion of their lives that they have sacrificed to achieve it.
& nbsp; Money or life? A difficult choice, so a compromise: trade life for money when young, and use money to sustain life when older!
& nbsp; Related thematic articles: Ten Perfectly Good Men, Is Divorce Banned in Ireland?, Two Tears Flow, Black and White Zhang Ziyi.
[Note: Some parts of the original text appear to be promotional links for machinery products, which have been excluded from the translation.]