Issue Topic 002

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Issue Topic 002
To understand the most important characteristics of a society, one must study its major cities.
Some people hold the view that it is important to study the major cities if you want to understand the characteristics of a society. Some China hands go to Shanghai or Beijin to study the traditional Chinese culture. Some gold diggers go to the New York to make a fortune. They know the United States---the paradise of a dreamer, after they get used to the Big Apple.

It is really a good and quick way to learn the characteristics of a society through its major cities. In New York, no one can ignore the atmosphere of freedom that penetrates in the every aspect of daily life of the American. It is natural that we may easily draw the conclusion that the United States is the country where people there value freedom, peace and equality. Anyone who works hard will has his day someday. That conclusion will be accepted and acknowledged universally. But in the developing countries such as China, India and Korea, it will probably be too hasty for you draw the conclusion from only some knowledge of the major cities.

If you have ever been to Shanghai or Beijin, you will probably be amazed by the sight of numerous skyscrapers, high way express, entertainment centers, large shopping malls and subways criss-crossed under the ground. Young people are walking on the streets with the latest vogue. Luxurious LV, BMW, Channel are very common. Those who have little knowledge may probably surprise that China is regarded as the developing countries. They may simply compare Shanghai with New York and leap into the conclusion China may at the same level of development as that the United States, which is obvious not true. For some areas where the development is not that balanced, it is not proper and correct to learn the country through it major cities. One may easily get a bias or wrong view. In this case, the major cities no longer represent the characteristics of the countries, while the vast minor cities and rural areas maintain and hold the real image of the nation. If one wants to study such kinds of countries, more information and detail in other regions, besides the major cities, may be needed.

Furthermore, for the large countries as China and Russia, which enjoy a quite vast territory, their people, customs and culture also varies according to the environments in different geographical area. Take China for example, the northern part of China is cold, dry and sandy, where people there are extroverts who like salty food of ample oil or gravy, while the southern part of China is wet, warm and rainy, where people are introverts who prefer sweet food with natural ingredients. In this case, if you want to study the character of the society, all-round information is very necessary. Or your conclusion maybe not correct.
With the promotion of globalization, sometimes it is difficult for us to understand one country through the study of its major cities. Tokyo, Shanghai, New York, London, Toronto, Berlin, Paris and other major cities are more or less the same with big net of public transportation, magnificent high rises, great number of foreigners, tons of cars, hustle and bustle in every day. Countries are more inter connected with each other and learning from one another. It is really important for us to get right information with full representitiveness when we want to study a society.

Here I do not want to choose what kind of information we need in study. Actually what we need is more information in an all round way. And we should collect, compare, analysis and then draw the conclusion. Major or minor cities, urban or rural areas, they all reflect different aspects of a society. If we really want to understand a nation and its culture, there will not be too much information or reference.