If China is full of the smartest people, why is the US so much more advanced?

 

I suggest you visit China. It reversed my preconception. I am from Norway, North Europe. A rather modern and advanced society.

On my first visit to the US over 20 years ago, I was surprised at how backward and old fashioned it was. Movies had let me to believe it was the epitome of modern society. I visited several states on the East/South-East. Very backwards digitally. Terrible infrastructure. Unwalkable. Dirty. Hard to find quality restaurants outside of big cities. Dead city centres in medium sized cities.

I went to China a year or two later, and the opposite struck me. It was a highly modern society. Highly digital. Fantastic high-speed infrastructure (that is even better nowadays). Super clean, modern cities. I was mainly in the Jiangsu province that time. Loved it!

I suggest everyone to go and form their own opinions. I really fell in love with Suzhou, not far from Shanghai.

Modern Suzhou:

Old Suzhou:

I should point out, I do like many things in the US too. I’ve since been to over 15 states, and many cities, including NYC, LA, DC, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Las Vegas, New Orleans etc. And many smaller places. My favourite US town might be Alexandria, VA.