Another point is back in those days the majority of population are poor, which means the social structure are build around poor people. Food, cloths, education, haircut, all of them targeted poor people. You don't need to live in the corner of the city and go great length to find products suited for you.
"Chinese poverty is different from American poverty because we weren't worried about starving."
Mentions a mass starvation event in China only a generation before which probably killed the equivalent of 10% of the US population at the time.
Of course, I only see residue effects long after it happened, so maybe time does heal all wounds.
8.1% of China's population is still malnourished to the point of stunting[1].
It's only 2.1% in the US.
People often comment on the 1958 famine as some singular event, but it actually was the 6th and last in the 20th century.
It's just so far from true I don't understand why they are getting upvoted (and me downvoted).
In the case of a famine, it's still the haves and the have-nots.
Even now, people in China are not concerned with or at risk of famine. It doesn't matter how many famines there were 50+ years ago, it won't make that untrue unless you can point to a credible reason why Chinese people today should fear famine.
The most recent UNICEF data[1] puts malnutrition to the point of stunting at 8.1% in China.
In the US it was 2.1%.
I'm a bit confused; is China not still communist?
I grew up during the tail years of communism and everybody was dirt poor. The interesting thing is, nobody was financially stressed, starvation and homelessness was not a thing. I ended up developing an abundance mentality and terrible money management skills.
Looking even further back, my parents experienced the height of policy stupidity and barely survived the great famine which killed millions. It scarred them for life, but also pushed them to make more money and live frugally even after achieving financial security.