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Hong Kong and urban decay

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  1. #11

    The extent of urban decay is probably higher in HK than in any Western city on per capita terms, not by sheer numbers. It all happens deep inside decrepit buildings, in basements, and on rooftops. That's the difference - in for example South Bronx it's all right in the open. In Hong Kong, it's hidden from street view, which in a twisted way makes it a great place to live for us with more money than we know what to do with. It's the easiest city in the world to be ignorant.


  2. #12

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    [QUOTE=Char Siu King
    It's the easiest city in the world to be ignorant.[/QUOTE]

    Ever been to Singapore?


    To answer OP question I would guess it is a culture thing, most big Asian cities are safe and show less sign of society decay that western cities.

    I'm currently in the states and the diff between parts of various cities is staggering for example.


  3. #13

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    All of HK very confined and rather small; as someone has said 'there's no other place to go'. So right. Also i think the general absence of cars helps the community stay together. In North America extreme reliance on the car means everyone is 'self-contained' and alone, mostly, thus little social interaction. On the sidewalks here, each person has continual social interactions and no one is more important than the next person. The chinese picture of society also affects much of life in Asia. No 'wild-west' cowboys with big guns, no lone wolves living in isolation, no retreat to the wilderness. Life is tougher here, compared to NA, when ostracized by society.

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  4. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    Ever been to Singapore? .
    Yes. I'm there about once a month for business. You are correct - SG is full of ignorance and sweeping problems under the carpet. But the extent of social corrosion there is not nearly as high as in Hong Kong, to a large extent due to a more sensible home ownership policy. But they do indeed have huge social problems in SG which the elite classes and the benevolent dictatorship they call a government there choose to ignore.
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  5. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Trebor:
    Anyone ever step foot inside the Walled City?

    The Walled city is interesting. But it wasn't created by the classic causes of urban decay you have in the West. It was created because China and the UK could'nt agree on who actually govern and administer that piece of territory, so it became a de facto lawless region due to a political disagreement.

    The place was gone by the time I came here, but my wife would sometimes tell me stories about it.
    Last edited by Watercooler; 14-04-2012 at 05:05 PM.

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by jobin:
    All of HK very confined and rather small; as someone has said 'there's no other place to go'. So right. Also i think the general absence of cars helps the community stay together. In North America extreme reliance on the car means everyone is 'self-contained' and alone, mostly, thus little social interaction. On the sidewalks here, each person has continual social interactions and no one is more important than the next person. The chinese picture of society also affects much of life in Asia. No 'wild-west' cowboys with big guns, no lone wolves living in isolation, no retreat to the wilderness. Life is tougher here, compared to NA, when ostracized by society.
    Well HK is actually not that small if you consider the total land area, it's just that a big chunk of the land is off-limits to development (the country parks, which accounts for 40%+ of total land area). But you are right I think about the "nowhere to go" part so the rich and poor live pretty close to each other.

    It's interesting you pointed to how Chinese society, close living and frequent social interactions with each other would in theory engender greater mutual understanding and empathy for each other. But in HK, despite living so close to each other, everyone seem to be rather "cold" and "distant" and try their best to wall off each other.
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  7. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Watercooler:

    It's interesting you pointed to how Chinese society, close living and frequent social interactions with each other would in theory engender greater mutual understanding and empathy for each other. But in HK, despite living so close to each other, everyone seem to be rather "cold" and "distant" and try their best to wall off each other.
    I would say this is a generation thing, in that what you are saying is happening with the current middle-age generation and younger. In older generations, the Chinese were definitely more bonded together by community, and neighbours would be friends for generations.

  8. #18

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    1.People are just preoccupied making money.
    2. This is a law and order city,
    You cant even discuss or refer to 6 on this forum
    Therefore,
    I have never seen a punk with a dog asking pedestrians for a dollar in HK.


  9. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Watercooler:
    Well HK is actually not that small if you consider the total land area, it's just that a big chunk of the land is off-limits to development
    Isn't only 16% allocated for private housing?

    As societies become more affluent don't they need less close social support structures? It may be traditional for close knit families in China but I suspect this will become less relevant as society changes and Government safety nets emerge.
    Last edited by East_coast; 16-04-2012 at 06:54 AM.

  10. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Morrison:
    . . . I have never seen a punk with a dog asking pedestrians for a dollar in HK.
    Just Faux monks wandering around in the most unlikely/inappropriate places for a real monk.