Consumerism in China

I ran across a few blog / forum threads about how people live outside the developed world. Specifically, the idea that people in the developing are a different kind of consumer because of their culture.  Well this is my visual rebuttal -- the people in the developing world simply lack the money to be consumers and here is what happens when they get the money.

Chinese New Years in a 250K city ... we walked about 15 steps in 5 minutes and turned around -- went home.



One of the many underground shopping labyrinths extending from a Guangzhou metro station. You can hear the rumbling of the trains as they pass above.



Just a regular weeknight in a pedestrian shopping street (criss-cross streets) in Guangzhou. (There's an even bigger one at Beijing Road.)



Used to be a parking garage. The bottom floor is now a local vendor food market. The top floor a clothing market.



Shopping mall with a Vanguard ... a major supermarket chain in China. Notice the KTV sign at the top right? Buy some veggies and then sing a few songs before going home.



Hotel with the 1st 2 floors dedicated to shopping. The big red LOTUS sign -- a big local supermarket.




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