“The Extreme 996 Work Culture in China” – Vice Asia, 2021, 16:41 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8wWoQ3_F00

Here we see an in-depth exploration of the negative impacts of 996 work culture in Culture. The phrase 996 is meant to describe working from 9am to 9pm, 6 days per week. Despite being illegal, it nonetheless appears to have become the standard expectation in many Chinese technology companies.

What social forces and pressures described in the video contribute to these arduous work expectations? Who benefits the most and least from these expectations? How might Western sociological concepts, like those from Karl Marx, be used to illuminate this phenomenon?

From the video’s description: "996" is a common term used by employees at China’s tech companies to describe their working life- starting work at 9am and leaving at 9pm, working six days a week. VICE World News looks at China’s hyper-competitive work culture and the costs to their personal and social lives.