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> This is how we approach everything. > This is because it is not only a government policy, but also a Chinese way of thinking. Nothing can interrupt this proc

> This is how we approach everything. > This is because it is not only a government policy, but also a Chinese way of thinking. Nothing can interrupt this process. Is there any evidence that this kind of homogeneous "national character" is objectively real? Or is it just another story that people tell themselves?

brazukadev 10mo ago
was the American dream real at any point? Sounds like the same to me. Just a less individualistic dream.
- Hammershaft 10mo ago
  I'm also skeptical of narratives of a pre-ordained future for America based on the American Dream or any other teleological belief system.
  - davnicwil 10mo ago
    It's always felt pretty intuitive to me that shared goals in a culture should have some real effect on outcomes. It doesn't mean absolutely everyone takes part, of course, but it does mean it's a 'thing' that people may take part in with support from many of those around them if they choose. Looking at the inverse: If you're going against the cultural wind, you're just going to have a much harder time doing whatever it is. It just seems like this must show up in outcomes, it would be strange if it didn't.
NotGMan 10mo ago
Does it need to be homogenous? In the end, only a few people are needed to create companies and drive the vision.
- andyjohnson0 10mo ago
  That's what I was asking. I was replying to a commenter who used "how we approach everything" and "Chinese way of thinking" when explaining China's economic dominance, which at least implies it. I was questioning that, is all.
MrSkelter 10mo ago
[flagged]
- dangus 10mo ago
  I think the places where American inefficiency is most visible is in construction, urban planning, and healthcare. America blows a significant amount of its money by having its citizens drive everywhere with no option to take a train, bus, bicycle, or low-speed e-scooter. Americans take a crazy percentage of their income and just dump it into the stagnant automotive industry. Americans blow between $5,000-10,000 a year on transportation. It’s so crazy that there is a pretty long list of American cities where moving from the suburbs to the most walkable part of the metro area of that city will net you more square footage in your dwelling after removing the $750/month expense of owning a personal vehicle. Then you can’t even really fix this problem in America because construction costs are wildly inflated. China can build a high speed rail network for the entire country for the price of a handful of miles of subway in manhattan. Projects take an insanely long time, e.g., California high speed rail. Multiple US cities have a housing cost crisis because houses aren’t being built fast enough, and that’s more money in the economy being blown on rent and financial products rather than productive endeavors. Hangzhou metro has 12 subway lines. In 2014 they only had one. Finally, healthcare. America just blows double the amount of money on healthcare of the next most expensive country, with worse outcomes in part because they sit in their cars all day. I don’t even think some of the problems you’ve brought up with America like the school system are as big of problems. America has really good public schools and universities, so good that Chinese people still come to the US to get educated en masse, even at pretty standard and average state schools. The current government doing stupid shit like discouraging research and immigration is certainly not helping though.
  - soared 10mo ago
    Show me these magical cities where an extra $750/mo in rent lets you both move from the suburbs to downtown, and increase your sq footage!
    - senordevnyc 10mo ago
deleted 10mo ago
[deleted]
NemoNobody 10mo ago
Google the top 25 cities in China Skylines. Your going to feel humbled.
- kleiba 10mo ago
  Very impressive. Here are some other interesting google searches: - "world-wide coal consumption by country" - "countries with the most executions in 2024" - "freedom in the world report" - "world press freedom index" - "climate change performance by country" Enjoy.
  - ebonnafoux 10mo ago
    Now divide "coal consumption", "executions" and " CO2 emission" by capita, it is also interesting.
powerapple 10mo ago
I don't agree. I think this comes out of necessity. What else a developing country can do in order to develop itself? Everyone believes they are unique and different, I don't agree.

brazukadev 10mo ago

was the American dream real at any point? Sounds like the same to me. Just a less individualistic dream.

Hammershaft 10mo ago
I'm also skeptical of narratives of a pre-ordained future for America based on the American Dream or any other teleological belief system.
- davnicwil 10mo ago
  It's always felt pretty intuitive to me that shared goals in a culture should have some real effect on outcomes. It doesn't mean absolutely everyone takes part, of course, but it does mean it's a 'thing' that people may take part in with support from many of those around them if they choose. Looking at the inverse: If you're going against the cultural wind, you're just going to have a much harder time doing whatever it is. It just seems like this must show up in outcomes, it would be strange if it didn't.

NotGMan 10mo ago

Does it need to be homogenous? In the end, only a few people are needed to create companies and drive the vision.

andyjohnson0 10mo ago
That's what I was asking. I was replying to a commenter who used "how we approach everything" and "Chinese way of thinking" when explaining China's economic dominance, which at least implies it. I was questioning that, is all.

MrSkelter 10mo ago

[flagged]

dangus 10mo ago
I think the places where American inefficiency is most visible is in construction, urban planning, and healthcare. America blows a significant amount of its money by having its citizens drive everywhere with no option to take a train, bus, bicycle, or low-speed e-scooter. Americans take a crazy percentage of their income and just dump it into the stagnant automotive industry. Americans blow between $5,000-10,000 a year on transportation. It’s so crazy that there is a pretty long list of American cities where moving from the suburbs to the most walkable part of the metro area of that city will net you more square footage in your dwelling after removing the $750/month expense of owning a personal vehicle. Then you can’t even really fix this problem in America because construction costs are wildly inflated. China can build a high speed rail network for the entire country for the price of a handful of miles of subway in manhattan. Projects take an insanely long time, e.g., California high speed rail. Multiple US cities have a housing cost crisis because houses aren’t being built fast enough, and that’s more money in the economy being blown on rent and financial products rather than productive endeavors. Hangzhou metro has 12 subway lines. In 2014 they only had one. Finally, healthcare. America just blows double the amount of money on healthcare of the next most expensive country, with worse outcomes in part because they sit in their cars all day. I don’t even think some of the problems you’ve brought up with America like the school system are as big of problems. America has really good public schools and universities, so good that Chinese people still come to the US to get educated en masse, even at pretty standard and average state schools. The current government doing stupid shit like discouraging research and immigration is certainly not helping though.
- soared 10mo ago
  Show me these magical cities where an extra $750/mo in rent lets you both move from the suburbs to downtown, and increase your sq footage!
  - senordevnyc 10mo ago

deleted 10mo ago

[deleted]

NemoNobody 10mo ago

Google the top 25 cities in China Skylines. Your going to feel humbled.

kleiba 10mo ago
Very impressive. Here are some other interesting google searches: - "world-wide coal consumption by country" - "countries with the most executions in 2024" - "freedom in the world report" - "world press freedom index" - "climate change performance by country" Enjoy.
- ebonnafoux 10mo ago
  Now divide "coal consumption", "executions" and " CO2 emission" by capita, it is also interesting.

powerapple 10mo ago

I don't agree. I think this comes out of necessity. What else a developing country can do in order to develop itself? Everyone believes they are unique and different, I don't agree.