Involution, part 3
In this post, I will focus on the adversative passive usage of nèijuǎn 内卷 ("involution").
Etymology
Calque of English involution, from its Latin roots. This sense was coined in Agricultural Involution: The Processes of Ecological Change in Indonesia (1963) by Clifford Geertz, as an antonym of evolution, where Geertz observed Javanese and Balinese rice farmers failed to transit from labor-intensive farming to capital-intensive farming, but rather developing intensive competition that does not increase productivity.
Usage
- (economics, social sciences, of a society or nation) to stop developing or progressing despite intense inner competition
- (neologism, slang) to be in a state of increased competition for limited resources, requiring great effort to stay ahead
- (neologism, slang) to study harder or work longer as a result of intense competition among peers
(source)
Read the rest of this entry »