URGENT UPDATE: Independent researcher Jiahao Shen has just released a provocative essay that challenges the rising tide of global conformity and control, drawing parallels with ancient Chinese scholars Ruan Ji and Ji Kang. In his piece, titled “Ruan Ji and Ji Kang — The Painful Mind and the Internalization of the Idealized World,” Shen argues that modern individuals face a moral dilemma similar to that of these historical figures, who withdrew from a corrupt society into a realm of personal integrity.
Shen, currently based in Japan and studying World History and Philosophy at King’s College London, highlights a new form of control emerging in today’s society. Unlike the oppressive regimes of the past, he identifies the “discipline of work” as a pervasive force shaping individuals’ lives across the developed world. This urgent message resonates deeply in the context of ongoing global economic pressures.
The essay, released in March 2023, posits that the modern economy has produced a “new metaphysics of conformity,” where productivity has replaced meaning as the organizing principle of human existence. Shen’s analysis reveals that although individuals may appear free, they live under a subtle but powerful logic of self-regulation, driven by the need to remain employable and visible in an increasingly competitive landscape.
According to Shen, the painful mind is a state of consciousness that refuses to accept the comfortable illusions of order. He notes, “To be untroubled is to be already lost,” emphasizing that true awareness comes with discomfort—a theme that resonates with the struggles faced by many today.
This situation is not confined to any one country; Shen argues that it defines a significant portion of global modernity. From the corporate hierarchies of Europe and America to the bureaucratic systems prevalent in many nations, individuals worldwide confront the same choice: to adapt to a system that prioritizes efficiency or to maintain their sincerity and integrity.
Shen advocates for the cultivation of an “idealized inner world,” a sanctuary of reflection and truth that resists commodification. He believes that preserving one’s interior life is a vital form of moral resistance in a civilization that values external performance above all else. This perspective urges individuals to embrace their painful mind as a source of strength rather than a burden.
In a world characterized by fatigue rather than belief, Shen’s reflections offer a tempered optimism. He asserts that the inner world cannot be extinguished by productivity metrics or algorithmic pressures. “Pain becomes paradoxically redemptive,” he writes, serving as evidence that one’s conscience remains intact.
Shen’s insights resonate particularly with younger generations navigating the complexities of a global economy that often values adaptability over authenticity. His experiences studying across multiple continents—the United States, the United Kingdom, and East Asia—have equipped him with a unique perspective on the cultural convergence shaping modern labor practices.
As his essay circulates, readers are encouraged to ponder the implications of Shen’s arguments for their own lives. The call for an inward journey of self-awareness is a powerful reminder that freedom, once thought to reside in the public sphere, might now lie in the act of personal reflection.
This compelling analysis highlights a crucial challenge of modernity: to remain human amid systems that often prioritize productivity over personal integrity. The enduring legacy of Ruan Ji, Ji Kang, and now Jiahao Shen serves as a clarion call for individuals seeking to navigate the complexities of contemporary life with authenticity and moral clarity.
As this story develops, it invites readers to engage in a dialogue about what it means to live authentically in a world increasingly dominated by external expectations. The conversation around Shen’s impactful essay is just beginning, and its resonance is sure to grow in the coming days.
