Comparison between American subways and Chinese subways

This article reproduces a very interesting discussion by an expat living in China named Jason. He, like MM here, is married to a Chinese woman and has a young child. He lives in a fifth-tier city in the hinterland, sort of like MM does, and he relates his experiences on you-tube for the world to see.

As a result, he has come under attack by both the BBC and CNN with their famous “gray filter” making his videos of bright and shiny China look gray and dingy.

In this series of videos, he compares the top American subway system in the top American city (New York City) with that of his fifth-tier “backwards” Chinese smaller city located in the middle of nowhere. It’s a great series. Reproduced in full and all credit to him, his wife and his child for providing it to us to view.

Video 1

He starts off going through the local Chinese subway stations, and the subway trains. It’s very interesting. Video 125MB

Video 2

Now, Jason finishes up in the Chinese subways and starts filming the New York Subway system. Amazing. video 86MB

The Complaints

I have noticed (since I posted this on LinkedIN) that many people defend the squalor in New York City. They say things like “China’s subways are new, while that of New York are old”. They argue that the comparison just “isn’t fair”.

The idea and the implication are simple. The argument is that you just shouldn’t compare new and old. You have to use the same metric.

Well, the metric is the same.

It actually is.

They are both subways, and they are maintained and operated within their own individual cultures. What the difference is between the different societies and the different governments.

Society

• China = Social, family and community oriented.
• United States = Individual, selfish, self-centered.

Government

• China = merit based, and policed against corruption.
• United States = Rampant corruption at all levels, oligarchy run.

Now, as far as the argument goes that the New York Subway system is old, it is a lame excuse. Yeah.

Well, so are the subways in Moscow.

They are old too.

But they are not in the same kind of disrepair as what we see inside of America. It has to do with funding maintenance, and a society of people who care about their surroundings.

Here’s the old subway system in Moscow.

And here is the old subway in Tehran, Iran…

And so, let’s also look at the old subway in North Korea.

North Korea’s marble-clad subway isn’t the image that might first spring to mind when thinking about a commute in North Korea. Taking the trip on the subway in Pyongyang comes cheap, and a ticket can cost just 5 Won ($0.004 USD).

Why is the United States infrastructure so decrepit?

Why?

You ask, why?

(MM turns and spits on the ground.)

Because the wealthy oligarchy has hoarded all the money for themselves, and left nothing for the rest of us. Did you know that New York City is the home for most of the billionaires in the United States.

Yeah.

Money to burn.

Not for you.

What can be done?

The primary difference between the United States and China can boil down to two factors.

• The Society
• The Government

I do not advocate changing one’s society. If anything, I advise in strengthening it along traditional values and belief systems. Not changing it, and certainly not through massive programs of social reengineering.

That only leaves the way the government operates.

So, it is obvious that the United States form of government must change, the funding priorities must change, the control of society must change, and the financial arrangements must change as well as the type and extent of corruption.

… If the United States is to catch up with the rest of the world, that is galloping ahead full speed.

All must change…

…if America and its people want to catch up with the rest of the world. And live life in calm peace, traditions, and participate in meaningful roles within society.

If not…

…well, expect more of the same, only much worse.

Do you want more?

I have more posts like this in my China Comparison index here…

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