decafninja

I see this (and similar statements) often repeated on the Internet, but it’s not what I saw during my two week trip to London and vicinity back in July. This was followed by a week in Paris.

In both London and Paris, I saw many, many Teslas, including late model Model 3 Juniper and Model Y Highland.

What I didn’t see were many Chinese EVs - which I was keeping an active lookout for. Maybe a dozen at most BYDs in each city, and 2 Jaecoos. My wife and I made a bet that I could spot at least 100 Chinese EVs during our trip. I lost - I didn’t even come close.

So what gives? The Internet told me I would see Chinese EVs everywhere. I did not.

The Internet also told me Europeans were boycotting Tesla and Elon, but I didn’t see that either.

I am like this too. Software engineer by trade, but I rarely pull out my personal laptop (I suppose this is an admission that I also rarely work on personal projects these days too...).

Most of my consumption happens on my iPad at home and while traveling, and my iPhone when on the move (such as commuting).

Is this really just a Chinese phenomenon?

I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of people everywhere primarily consume media from their smartphones, whether it be Youtube, Netflix, gaming, etc.

None of my friends who don't work in tech own a personal laptop let alone a desktop with a big screen. Few of them even own tablets.

To them, a $2000 folding smartphone is a practical device that will be put to maximum use daily. A $2000 personal laptop is the luxury product they find no practical daily use for - laptops are for work, and only work.

I would say it's more a matter of not wanting a laptop, versus not being able to afford one.

I'm sure there are people who fall into the financially irresponsible category, but these days there are many people who find zero use for having a laptop and have no desire for one at all.

This.

Also it's not just a cost or affordability matter. Some people who can easily afford a top of the line laptop and/or tablet simply do not want one. They want one device to do all their computing needs from.

Most of my friends who are not in tech are like this, as is my wife. None of them have personal laptops at home. Few even have tablets.

You need to be able to navigate to the book to read it.

I understand the e-ink tech does not refresh quickly. But I'm more referring to things like when I click on something (like just opening my Library screen), it takes a long time for it happen.

I have a Kindle Paperwhite that I’ve given some effort to use. Each time, I find myself returning to just using the Kindle app on my phone or iPad.

The problem is UI lag. Reading a book once opened is fine. Everything up to the point of starting to read is lag lag lag.

It was laggy when brand new. When I asked people about it, they said it was normal. To its credit, it’s no laggier today five years later than it was when new.

Also adding to confusion is that different routes (and distances) have different hard products.

"Premium economy" on an international long haul flight is often the same (or very similar) seat as "first class" on a domestic flight.

I've recently been blessed with being able to afford flying on lie-flat seats (international business class). That said, I've found what you are calling "economy plus" to be the sweet spot.

You get slightly more leg room, but also priority boarding so that you don't have to worry about getting your bag gatechecked. It's also only slightly more expensive than main cabin regular economy.

"Premium economy" is significantly more expensive, and while you do get a bigger seat, it's not lie-flat. You can recline more, but the few times I've flown it, you are still able to piss off the passenger behind you when you recline with all the shenanigans that can entail. Thus I find it not worth the premium.

Most of the people of those subcultures are phenotypically not too different looking than the dominant Han ethnicity though.

Like you said, the fact that China is authoritarian is a big factor in all of this.

The "melting pot" West does have numerous phenotypically similar caucasian subcultures, but also many non-caucasian ones that do not look phenotypically alike at all.

It's taboo to speak about, but both Japan and China are homogenous societies and enjoy the benefits that brings.

China a bit less so than Japan, but still much more than the US or Western Europe. Plus even the minorities are still phenotypically more or less similar looking to the majorities.

China also enjoys the benefits of being an autocratic nation.

You describe some of the best possible transit scenarios and compare it to the worst possible car scenarios. That can easily be flipped.

My daily experience with transit is that you're far more likely to be standing, jam packed like sardines with your nose up someone's armpit. The train/bus is constantly heaving and shaking. You have to be always be concentrating not to stumble or fall into the person next to you.

This is a problem that still exists with some of the best transit systems, and is even more pronounced on the ones that aren't quite so nice.

I work in NYC but live in the inner suburbs, as does most of my social circle.

For most of us, when it comes to commuting for work, it's always public transportation.

But when it comes to going into the city for leisure, it's always the car.

Key words: "done well" and "good public transport".

Whenever I see discussions like this, I always feel the standards that most public transportation advocates consider "good" or even "acceptable" are far lower than mine.

Mine - Seoul, Tokyo, other East Asian cities.

Most public transportation advocates - Maybe NYC, many even lower.

Factors - reliability, cleanliness (both cars and stations), reach, safety (both actual and perceived, and both violent and non-violent).

Give me the Seoul or Tokyo subway and I'll gladly ditch my car (actually...no, but I'd only use it for excursions outside the city).

Reminds me of an anime titled Code Geass, whose alt-historical setting is where Benjamin Franklin betrays the American colonies to the British, who win the Revolutionary War.

Then Napoleon proceeds to kick them out of Europe, and the British re-establish themselves in North America and emerge as the pre-eminent superpower.

Some of those makes you list only sold convertibles that were extremely niche, short lived, and/or incredibly ancient history. I wouldn’t use them as practical examples.