https://cuicaihao.github.io/tags/east-asian-society/Recent content in East Asian Society on C.CUI's LogHugoen-AUMon, 29 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +1000https://cuicaihao.github.io/posts/2026-06-29-moloch-why-is-east-asia-so-caught-in-involution/Mon, 29 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +1000https://cuicaihao.github.io/posts/2026-06-29-moloch-why-is-east-asia-so-caught-in-involution/This article explores the deep-seated ‘involution’ prevalent in East Asian societies, using South Korea and Japan as prime examples of extreme educational and social competition despite economic development. It introduces ‘Moloch’ as a ‘multipolar trap’ where individually rational actions lead to collectively undesirable outcomes, likening it to a ‘single-track tournament.’ The piece attributes these dynamics to historical factors such as the Imperial Examination system and modern social leveling, which solidified academic achievement as the singular path to status and success.