[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

How American - to know so little about the world outside America.

In 3 out of the world's top 4 most populous countries, living with parents is quite common. (If you don't know which are the 4 most populous countries in the world, do look it up). China is one of those 3 countries, but all three countries are culturally different from each other (no common language, very different religions etc).

Therefore to describe the matter as "living in China" is really very ill-informed.

The "moving out" mentality in the US is just a byproduct of its own history. 13 colonies, farmers spreading out across a vast unexplored land to get their own space etc (killing plenty of native Americans and using lots of black slaves from Africa along the way, but that's another story). American Old West, cowboys expanding into the frontier etc etc.

Culturally, you therefore grow up with the notion that being adult means going somewhere faraway from where you used to grow up. Very Laura Ingalls "Little House on the Prairie" and Huckleberry Finn-ish.

All good and well, but to a large extent, it's just your own idiosyncratic cultural notion, you see. And it already lost its original purposes. There isn't any more land for you to stake, just by moving out and getting there first. You aren't a cowboy, James, you're a school teacher.

You don't think that the reason why China and Indian stays together is BECAUSE of such large populations, and money, and actual places to go?