> Why is it then that real income & wealth (and with that, life outcomes) have shot up in all the "sweat-shop" countries that stock the shelves of Walmart? We

> Why is it then that real income & wealth (and with that, life outcomes) have shot up in all the "sweat-shop" countries that stock the shelves of Walmart? We have very different views on the labor conditions of foreign workers. > For most poor American families, living in a big house in a small town and owning one or more cars is the optimal solution, not some utopian pipe dream involving high-rises and buses. I grew up in a big house in a small town and worked doing property maintenance in high school to buy my own car. I have been driving cars for 25 years. Two years ago I moved to a dense city with halfway decent public transit (by US standards). Finally I can walk or ride my bike to my friend's houses. I still have a car and I use it about once a week. But now I bike to work, even in the rain. I use public transit more than I ever have in my life, because the transit is more useful here than in any of the car-centric cities I have lived in before. I am happier leaving my car parked and walking or biking to see my friends and loved ones. And when I bike, I wish less space was devoted to cars - roads and parking divide up a beautiful place. Everything is compartmentalized, and high speed danger is always nearby. Even cities with the best public transit still have room for cars. But I do not think that relying on cars as the predominant method of transit is "optimal". When cities are built to make life without a car hell, then yes people in those places will find a car the optimal choice as individuals. But I have been to New York, London, Paris, and Brussels. I saw how public transit can be used to reduce the need for car ownership and car infrastructure. We could do that in the USA too.