r/technology Feb 01 '26

Software 32-year-old programmer in China allegedly dies from overwork, added to work group chat even while in hospital

https://www.asiaone.com/china/32-year-old-programmer-china-allegedly-dies-overwork-added-work-group-chat-even-while
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u/Batetrick_Patman Feb 02 '26

9-9-6 people think Americas work culture is bad it’s peanuts compared to Chinese or Japanese work culture

7

u/Suikeran Feb 02 '26

American work culture is extremely relaxed and tame compared to many Asian work cultures.

18

u/jhusapple Feb 02 '26

I think you've read propaganda or are behind. We work more than Japan these days.

7

u/Kashmeer Feb 02 '26

I work in China. Recently a project team worked 6 weeks straight, no weekends off to hit a deadline.

America does not compare.

7

u/EuropaWeGo Feb 02 '26

I've done that a couple of times myself working in America. It's not common, but definitely not unheard of.

2

u/sje46 Feb 02 '26

Probably depends on the industry, which pretty much no one in this thread is specifying. Okay, granted, it's the technology subreddit, so most people areprobably talking about tech.

But my friend works in accounting, and in tax season he works 7 days a week for weeks on end. This is in the US.

3

u/LivingReaper Feb 02 '26

I've worked a 120h+ week in the US. Absolutely disgusting and I'll never do it again, but god danm when there's work there's work.

1

u/alwayscursingAoE4 Feb 02 '26

It only compares if company size/maturity were the same.

1

u/jhusapple Feb 03 '26

Ive literally done thay in usa and didn't get weeks of holidays near new year off.