In early 2025, you might notice a sensational rumor circulating: "The mortality rate of China's post-80s generation exceeds 5%."
Officials have stated that this is fake news, with errors in the data used to calculate the remaining life expectancy. Conceptually, the mortality rate refers to the ratio of deaths in a certain period within a specific region to the average population during the same period, and the online claim misuses this concept.
However, this piece of fake news from an obscure social media outlet spread like wildfire on social media, prompting many to sigh in lament. Rumors are like a subconscious call to attention, and this focus on the mortality rate of the post-80s generation reveals not only their collective anxiety but also reflects their overall confusion as they enter middle age.