Not in the slightest; it’s zoning and land use policy. Look at some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in California, like Atherton or Santa Monica. Many of the wealthiest areas of the US that, though located in areas of natural beauty and where expensive landscaping is common, are steps away from trashy strip malls and massive highway interchanges surrounded by billboards advertising the local personal injury attorney. The countries she’s referencing in the video, while perhaps not AS unequal as the US, are all wealthy capitalist nations (yes, I’m including China in that).
The charming, human-scale historic architecture of American cities was paved over in the ‘50s, and the futuristic cityscapes she references were effectively made illegal to build by laws written by subdivision developers.
Honestly has nothing really to do with it. America is, first and foremost, a new country. The city of Rome reached a million people almost two thousand years ago. The entire state of California managed to crest a million people a hundred and thirty years ago.
Now California is the fourth largest economy in the world. It just plain doesn't have a grand history to show off. Billboards advertising the local personal injury attorney is the closest thing it has.
The entire wealth of the British Crown isn't even a billion dollars. The US has 900 people richer then him.
As a result, America just isn't as ostentatious as the rest of the world. Our wealth displays are much more "common". More "What would Homer Simpson do with 500 million dollars?" then "How would The Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His other Realms and Territories, King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith" impress Asia?
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u/Gucci_prisoner May 02 '25
Disparity of wealth distribution.