Why doesn't the USA look like the largest economy in the world when I travel there? China's top cities look even more advanced than American.

为什么我去的时候，美国看起来不像世界上最大的经济体?中国的大城市看起来甚至比美国更先进？

高赞回答：

Look at this photograph. Looks like a nice city eh? It is Kinshasa, capital of the POOREST country in the world, the “Democratic” Republic of the Congo. So when comparing countries, it might be best to compare how the poorest areas live rather than the richest areas. For example, if you drive through rural areas of the US, be it in the South, Midwest, or Southwest, you will notice almost universal paved roads, electricity, and indoor water and sanitation. Rural China? Not so much.

看这张照片。看起来是个不错的城市，对吧？它就是金沙萨，世界上最贫穷的国家——民主刚果共和国的首都。所以在比较国家时，最好是比较最贫穷地区的生活方式，而不是最富裕地区的生活方式。例如，如果你开车穿过美国的农村地区，无论是在南部、中西部还是西南部，你会注意到几乎所有地方都有铺好的道路、电力、室内水和卫生设施。中国农村吗？并非如此。

出处：见配图水印