May 4 marks China’s Youth Day, a holiday born from the 1919 May Fourth Movement, a student-led protest against imperialism and feudalism. Over time, it has grown into a cultural symbol of youthful idealism, responsibility, and social change. But today, that spirit is often overshadowed by a growing sense of anxiety. This Youth Day, BiliBili released a short film titled The Vanishing Youth, urging young people to remember that even in a high-pressure world, they still have the freedom to choose their own way forward.
From beauty standards to career milestones, today’s youth face a constant stream of stress: “You’re 20, get cosmetic surgery or you’ll fall behind,” “You’re 30, earning a million is the bare minimum,” “You’re 35 and jobless, just become a full-time quitter.”
According to BiliBili, life on social media always looks perfect—everyone else seems to be thriving, while your own life feels like a field of landmines. Whether it’s parenting, school, work, looks, or age, anxiety is seeping into every part of life.
The film explores where that anxiety comes from. It’s not just self-doubt or pressure from consumerism. It’s also our brains struggling to process the flood of information in a world that’s changing too fast. BiliBili’s message is simple: stop, slow down, and take a closer look. Through the eyes of its content creators, the platform encourages viewers to notice the real, everyday moments that bring joy and meaning.
Youth Day has also become a key date in many brands’ marketing calendars. This year, Meituan teamed up with China Youth Daily to launch Youth Has Its Own Way, a short film set on Beijing’s Youth Road. The campaign highlights the need for society to support young people as they chart their own course, both symbolically and literally. As BiliBili puts it, “If the pain of a century ago couldn’t erase China’s youth, anxiety won’t either.” The company says it will keep standing by young people, offering content that inspires, reassures, and helps them find direction. In a noisy media world, that might be what storytelling matters most for.
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