[Quiark]

That's the Chinese culture. I live in Hong Kong, visit China from time to time and I see it everywhere. In the West, we politely pretend that we don't care about material wealth. The Chinese, on the other hand, spend lots of time and money to show off how rich they are. Not all of them, obviously, I have some friends who don't share this attitude and I also heard about Chinese moving to the west, because they just couldn't stand it.

[blisterpeanuts]

When I lived in Taiwan, there were wealthy people who lived in shabby looking houses that were indistinguishable from the dwellings of middle class and working class folks.

But if you went inside, you were likely to find all the trappings of 1980s affluence (all sorts of consumer electronics, nice art on the walls, gorgeous furniture).

China today has a nouveau riche that consumes conspicuously, but it's not a universal trait.

[stcredzero]

I met this guy in Sligo, Ireland, in 2000 and he invited me back to his place for a get-together with his friends. A lot of his friends were on the Dole. We were walking around his neighborhood, and he pointed to one house and said that guy was a millionaire. All the houses were of the same general appearance and the same size.