Wire report
‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adults
Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of ‘raising bricks’ Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks. Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,” wrote one brick parent on social media. Continue reading...
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Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of ‘raising bricks’ Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks. Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,” wrote one brick parent on social media. Continue reading...
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According to The Guardian’s source item, ‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adults, Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of ‘raising bricks’ Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks. Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,” wrote one brick parent on social media. Continue reading…
Context
The development sits in VINI’s Global file for readers following international affairs, institutions, conflict, diplomacy, economics, and cross-border consequences. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The source item is dated 2026-10-26T09:47:14+00:00.
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Source
Primary source: ‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adults via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.
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- ‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adultsThe Guardian - 2026-10-26T09:47:14+00:00
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