Taiwan is a Hyundai still. It will be quite awhile before it becomes a BMW.
That’s a poor analogy. Hyundai went through a massive quality overhaul and is now on par with other world class brands. Taiwan, by analogy, is not.
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As a creative I thrive in dystopian urban chaos and shudder at the thought of this place being gentrified.
I don’t get that. DO you mean less Korean and more German. Thank goodness it doesn’t snow here if that happens. Imagine all the skiing accidents.
It’s already happened.
It’s only been gentrified in limited areas of cities most if it is still left as is i.e. run down messy chaotic polluted anything goes pay the man mess. Taipei has improved the most in terms of transport and sidewalks but its urban environment could hardly be described as nice.
In Taichung and in Taipei there has been massive investment in new areas (politician kickbacks) or should I say luxury apartments but old areas have been mostly left to rot, well particularly in Taichung, the central area of which looks like Indonesia and is actually occupied by Indonesians ironically. Maybe the central area of Taichung will be reborn in future with better transport links like the subway but demographics are going to be a big headwind. Who is going to occupy all these old houses? Most small towns and cities here look the same as they did twenty years ago.
Can anybody name a small town that is pretty here with decent sidewalks, well preserved historical buildings or new and well planned out housing and a ‘classy’ population? I don’t know any and I’ve been up and down the country hundreds of times.
There should be at least one or two but none seem to exist.
Yeah, fair enough, I was only thinking of Taipei. To be honest, I don’t really go outside of Taipei much. Parts of the countryside are beautiful, but I hate being in other cities in Taiwan.
Actually Kaoshiung has improved a huge amount too, immensely actually. But the problem in Kaoshiung is the very big hole it was climbing out of. When the refinery closes and the new light rail systems go in along the harbour it will be a whole lot better again. This again is the fault of the KMT led government who has resisted closing or moving the refineries for decades and also do not allocate enough budget for subway lines down south, while giving billions to lines such as the Xinyi line just completed (there are 7 million people between Tainan and Kaoshiung metro area).
Tainan also has some very nice historical spots and parks that put Taipei to shame. There is a huge Japanese built park there that is really really beautiful full of mature 100 year old trees and people relaxing and exercising. Tainan also has the awesome Anping District. But both need better transport options and much less air pollution and better paying jobs.
Yea, I was going to say Anping is actually really nice. Feels like a completely different town even though it’s separated from the rest of Tainan just by a single, narrow canal. Not having any rail stations kind of sucks though.
The most interesting place in North America right now is Detroit precisely because it’s no longer a soulless, strip mall, surburban hellhole but rather a dystopian frontier.
That may be true but Hyundai is still not for the most part a desired brand. Not yet. It will be some time yet when it becomes “as good as a Toyota”, not to mention obtaining the cache of a BMW or Lexus.
Even if Taiwan is “up there” it is still a Hyundai. It has not yet “arrived” like Germany or France or Italy.
Germany, France and Italy all have their own unique problems - most of them (like Taiwan) cultural. I don’t think any human society has ever “arrived” in recorded history. If they ever have, they’ve probably died of terminal boredom. All things considered, Taiwan’s government does a pretty good job of providing a basic level of social infrastructure, and then allowing people to live their lives. Sort out the general pollution and waste, and Taiwan will be close enough to “arriving” without becoming a social Volvo. If you want to maintain the vehicle comparison, I’d say Taiwan is a Kymco scooter: a half-assed effort that gets the job done; and if you don’t mind risking your neck, a quite enjoyable ride.
I love the pig-farmer in a Benz metaphor, though. Can’t get that one out of my head.
That may be true but Hyundai is still not for the most part a desired brand. Not yet. It will be some time yet when it becomes “as good as a Toyota”, not to mention obtaining the cache of a BMW or Lexus.
Even if Taiwan is “up there” it is still a Hyundai. It has not yet “arrived” like Germany or France or Italy.[/quote]
Taiwan it is not even Hyundai. Hyundai is Hyundai is Korea.
Taiwan as Kymco, a much better analogy.
Kymco can and does make electric scooters, but they are focused on the old petrol scooters and one day will get innovated out of business.
As would washing hands with soap.
As would washing hands with soap.[/quote]
Are they primary criteria for a seat at the G8 summit? I mean, I enjoy a pristine khazi as much as the next citizen, but I don’t see it a major socio-economic barrier. 
China, would be a massive part of the answer, in an active or passive way.
That may be true but Hyundai is still not for the most part a desired brand. Not yet. It will be some time yet when it becomes “as good as a Toyota”, not to mention obtaining the cache of a BMW or Lexus.
Even if Taiwan is “up there” it is still a Hyundai. It has not yet “arrived” like Germany or France or Italy.[/quote]
Arrived? Where? Don’t think they’ve arrived at all … just in the news, one in five children grows up in poverty in Germany, that’s not arrived.
Responses to dumb posts were sent from my Nexus 7, I hate Apple BTW, with Tapatalk 8
Taiwan reminds me of the old type Skoda before they got taken over by VW and Audi, yeah the old style had electric windows and a few other mod cons in its time but the old manufacturers couldnt seem to work out a way to get the engine at the front of the car instead of in the boot.
I’m a little high now so this may not come out right but if yOu want a “developed countyry” why not go back to where you came from? Maybe the charm of life here in Taiwan is that it hasn’t yet been gelded by the nanny brigade.
That wasn’t the question here , that was another thread.
I don’t see the charm in air pollution, noisy scooters , contaminated food and shithead drivers.