involution

Chinese workers often invoke the word neijuan, or “involution,” to describe working harder for little to no gains.

“Later, after the game, I confirmed that I have written specifically about what’s called ‘involution of the thymus’ on my blog in October 2018.

“It turns out I just took up another kind of involution.”

"If this can't be halted, the trends in place could lead to a progressive and unsustainable involution of the human capital of most of southern Italy."

They can continue to struggle in the rat race of Chinese society, making little progress in an approach known as neijuan, or “involution,” the process of turning inward in a self-defeating competition with others.