That's not the whole story. 1) America has always had a fascination for the new rich. Rags to riches is the old story. In pop culture, there are entire romance

That's not the whole story. 1) America has always had a fascination for the new rich. Rags to riches is the old story. In pop culture, there are entire romance book series about new rich Americans going back to England to find titled husbands for the young ladies, and then on the "modern" side, entire series about romance with billionaires. Americans love thinking about new money, regardless of who's got it. Look at other NYTimes stories about Russians and real estate in New York. 2) Chinese students (and their money) are having a real impact in American higher ed, and a lot of people are exposed to that. Foreign students are an important revenue stream, and Chinese students simply outnumber Swedes, Germans, South Africans, Saudis, etc. And when your students drive Mercedes-Benz SUVs while you are climbing into your used 2008 vehicle, you do eventually notice. (It took me 3 years to notice but I finally did figure out 28 of my students are richer than I am at half the age!) 3) Last is the insecurity. White Americans are particularly insecure because they are failing calculus because they can't add fractions while the (Chinese) kid next to them is driving a car worth the entire year's tuition payment, and can add fractions with ease. That is intimidating. Things weren't supposed to be this way! Being well-off, white, and American is supposed to be a free pass to a good future! That's why the ancestors of well-off white Americans worked toward all three goals (make money, get to America, be declared white).