Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm not sure about Japan,but in Taiwan,the materialism and classism are still there.Maybe not as awful towards people anymore,but the general social ambiance is still materialistic.
Of course every capitalistic country has some materialism but having lived in both countries, the US definitely is more materialistic than Taiwan
I agree with what other people said, but there are also some special reasons.
Wealthy Americans do not send their kids to public universities in the Midwest. However, many Asian millionaires do so, because their kids cannot get into ivy schools and other prestigious private schools. Therefore, many Asian students are much richer than American students around.
Also, luxury cars are very expensive in China and in some other Asian countries, due to tariffs and fees. When they come to the US, they see everything a good deal and are willing to buy.
There is no way they have a monopoly on it, but ...
I knew a Korean woman here in the USA who had a pretty new Porsche but lived in a cheap apartment. About half her income went to the payments for the Porsche. She told me, with no apology, that appearances were very important to her. It didn't bother me, but it did astound me.
I also know SE Asians who have worked very hard to build their restaurant businesses, have plenty of money, and do NOT make a show of it whatsoever. We shouldn't generalize too much.
I went out with this girl her mom borrowed 300k from her uncle to buy a condo here in Miami. Went we went out she always went to South Beach at Lincoln Road. Buying branded stuff. H&M, Zara etc. Even her friends were the same. I ran as fast as I could. And i'm Asian too!!
As compared to who? The U.S.? Many asian countries are but many are not. I doubt Bhutan is materialist/classist because their leader focus on Gross Domestic Happiness. I feel Taiwan and Japan aren't as materialistic as U.S. But for sure Korea, China, Singapore, India are. The rest of asia are 3rd world countries which isn't fair to compare.
Yeah this. I wouldn't say even wealthy Asian countries are much more materialistic than the West. Singaporeans are often accused of being materialistic, and to a large degree they are, although most still don't own cars and live in pretty humble HDB flats. There owning any car and a condo is a 'status symbol.' The Japanese are less known for ostentatious shows of wealth: I think the nouveau rich in China and India like to make a big show of it, and countries like the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia. I agree Taiwan and Japan are less ostentatious.
Hong Kong is well-known to a be a shopper's paradise. The customers of the luxury goods and housing in some areas in HK is now made up mostly by rich Mainland Chinese. Gold priced dropped a lot last year, there was a crazy wave of lots of Mainland Chinese flocking to HK to buy cheap gold. Rich families from India, not grown up in HK, also did the same thing in Hong Kong. Hong Kong locals and non-Chinese were much less interested when the gold was cheap. The conclusion is Mainland Chinese people and Indians are the most materialistic.
In Macau, high-rollers, casinos, luxury shops are all lumped together in a small city.
Again the materialistic ones came from Mainland China. Macau local people live a quiet and laid-back life like the people of Portugal.
Hong Kong is well-known to a be a shopper's paradise. The customers of the luxury goods and housing in some areas in HK is now made up mostly by rich Mainland Chinese. Gold priced dropped a lot last year, there was a crazy wave of lots of Mainland Chinese flocking to HK to buy cheap gold. Rich families from India, not grown up in HK, also did the same thing in Hong Kong. Hong Kong locals and non-Chinese were much less interested when the gold was cheap. The conclusion is Mainland Chinese people and Indians are the most materialistic.
Look at the countries HK has more billionaires than!
France
Italy
Japan
Australia
near as many as the UK
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
