If you’re an American and enjoy living in your capitalist, laissez-faire economy, then I have a holiday choice for you: consider China. Why? There is more similarity between the average Chinese and the average American than you would like to believe. Here are the top ten similarities:
1. Large scale migrations: whereas Chinese people migrate from rural to urban areas (or special economic zones) for fun and work, Americans do so too by moving house every two years or so.
2. Over-reliance on trucks, cars and Wal-marts: neither government cares much about pollution, but the Chinese also use trains as a medium of transport, which is a plus. Wal-marts are a given.
3. Cultural insularity: either speak a Chinese dialect or speak English or have no friends. Both countries view themselves as superior. Both have inferiority complexes. Americans to Europeans, Chinese to Americans.
4. Large populations immune to reason: both countries have a large percentage of the population who will not reason with you. Stems from limited awareness of their surroundings.
5. Lack of social safety nets: both Chinese and Americans are equally concern about health care and pensions (yes, even in communist China), perhaps for different reasons.
6. Geography: China and America are huge and similar in size to each other, although climate and landscape is different. America is like China with a western ocean, hence doubling its amount of arable land.
7. Gated communities for the rich: rich men and women in both countries enjoy the benefits of living behind armed guards, and increasingly so for the middle class in China. Yet urban Chinese cities are much safer than American cities.
8. Patriotism and support for the army: there will never be more flag-wavers if China and America were to combine into one. Say “China is the best” or “USA no. 1” to be liked.
9. Cut-throat capitalism: like it or not, China is becoming one of the most capitalist countries in the world. Even more capitalist than America, to the point where you will only get what you need if you have the money, not food stamps. The Chinese labor market is transforming into an American-style labor market.
10. Hypocrisy with regards to sex and gambling: both Chinese and Americans are too “virtuous” to carry out taboos such as sex and gambling in their own back yard, hence the Chinese visit Las Vegas for happy times and Americans visit Macao for happy times.
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