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Hyper-specialization is everywhere if you ever step into any Asian country. Indians even have last names based on their hyper-specialized occupation. I was in
by spectramax 7y ago
Hyper-specialization is everywhere if you ever step into any Asian country.
Indians even have last names based on their hyper-specialized occupation. I was in Thailand and I saw a tiny shop whose only job was to take old torn notes and exchange it for a new one by charging a small flat fee. I had an Indian friend that told me that specializations in old cities was also geographically organized. One part of street would only sell pressure cookers while another side would sell watering cans.
- blowski 7y ago> I had an Indian friend that told me that specializations in old cities was also geographically organized. One part of street would only sell pressure cookers while another side would sell watering cans. That’s how London used to be, which is why the area around St Paul’s has roads like “Leather Lane”, “Milk Street”, and “Poultry”.
- fredophile 7y agoI found Kowloon to be like this when I was visiting Hong Kong a few years ago. One that stands out in my mind was turning a corner and being on a street that seemed to sell nothing but pet turtles and fish.
- spectramax 7y agoWow. Did you happen to take pictures? If you do, please share as any photographic insight into Kowloon walled city is highly sought after!
- fredophile 7y agoKowloon and Kowloon walled city are not the same thing. Kowloon walled city was long gone when I made that trip.
- vkou 7y agoParts of Manhattan are still that way. There's a potted plant street, a fabric street...
- jamespitts 7y agoThis is why I love Taiwan, so many interesting shops. Small store size, walkable streets and alleyways, cheap rent, not many rules about what you can do. People will take care of the rest.
- madcaptenor 7y agoFor a US example of this, see the Patel Motel Cartel (https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/04/magazine/a-patel-motel-cartel.html https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/04/magazine/a-patel-motel-ca...)
- s_trumpet 7y agoThe legendary Sodabottleopenerwala - possibly apocryphal.