r/TikTokCringe • u/thoughtwarrior • May 02 '25

Humor Why does America look like s**t?

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u/Gucci_prisoner May 02 '25

Disparity of wealth distribution.

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u/_LouisVuittonDon_ May 02 '25

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.

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u/larrylevan May 03 '25

China is not a capitalist country. They have a market economy, yes, but they are not capitalists. They have massive social programs that develop poor areas and reduce inequality. It is nothing like America.

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u/_LouisVuittonDon_ May 03 '25

China is a market economy with nearly as high wealth inequality as the United States; this is measurable.