More and more young people are taking jobs as security guards, positions normally reserved for middle-aged migrant workers—why?
The pandemic has brought a series of new realities to our daily life, such as scanning health codes and measuring our temperature at the entrance of buildings. These, in turn, require us to interact with security guards on a regular basis.
However, the profession is evolving: While the stereotype of the security guard is that of a middle-aged man not qualified for or unable to work at another job for whatever reason, the gatekeepers of today may be youthful contemporaries of ourselves, sitting there quietly or occasionally checking their phones. What might make a young person choose this job? Do they ever feel bored? What do they plan to do in the future?
On today’s episode, we speak to three young men, all in their 20s, to find out how they became a security guard and whether their occupation brings them any meaning or satisfaction.
Founded in 2017 by Kou Aizhe, Story FM is one of the most renowned podcast in China. Each episode focuses on ordinary people’s lives and viewpoints, including the difficulties of marginalized people. Through intimate and private interviews, Story FM digs out first-person experiences and lets listeners immerse themselves in another person’s voice and feelings. You can listen to their podcast in Chinese on Ximalaya, Qingting FM, Apple Podcasts, and the 故事FM mini-app on WeChat.
Translated By
Ana Padilla Fornieles is a Spanish translator, writer and creative currently based in Beijing, where she is part of Spittoon International Arts Collective and a regular contributor to The Beijinger. You can find her prose and poetry featured in The Shanghai Literary Review, Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine, Womanhood, Sledgehammer and more. Her comics and linocut prints have appeared in Shaving in the Dark, F*EMS and Celestite Poetry. Her literary translation work has been published or is forthcoming with a series of publishing houses and magazines, such as Penguin, De Gruyter, Spittoon Magazine and Books from Taiwan.
