Everyone asks why Americans have stronger consumption power than Chinese people. 都說美國人為什麼消費水平比中國人強?

Everyone asks why Americans have stronger consumption power than Chinese people.

The difference in consumption habits is just too vast. I’ve been to the U.S. and stayed at a relative’s house for over ten days. The air conditioner in the room hummed incessantly; even when it was below zero outside at night, it was so hot indoors that sweat trickled down my back. They never turned it off, and the electricity bills piled up like autumn leaves on the corner of the table. When appliances broke, they were simply thrown away. The fridge had only been used for two years when my relative shrugged and said, “New ones are cheap—why bother fixing it?” Then they drove to a big-box store and filled their cart with new gadgets.

Credit cards swiped nonstop. When the monthly bill arrived, all my relative did was order a beer, eyes fixed on the numbers, Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, yet never mentioning repayment. Living on overdraft was like placing bets on a whim.

I remember that party—the table was piled high with food, and half-eaten burgers were tossed into the trash. My relative laughed and said, “Wasteful? That’s just how life should be.” I stood in the kitchen, smelling the rot from the trash can, holding an empty plate, and thought of the old rice cooker at home. It always leaked steam when cooking, but my parents had used it for ten years without ever thinking of replacing it.

After returning to China, I asked my neighbor how many times his TV had broken. He said, “We just fix it—it’d be a shame to throw it away.” The screwdriver in his toolbox was worn shiny, and the calluses on his fingers were thick. Farmers make up the majority of China’s population. After a day’s work in the fields, the money they earn is just enough to buy rice and vegetables. They use the same phone for five years, and if the screen cracks, they just apply a protective film and keep using it. In the cities, my friends work overtime late into the night, scrimping and saving to fulfill their dream of buying a home. Occasionally, they might buy clothes online, but only after much hesitation.

Why is this the case? Americans are taught from a young age that spending money is a form of freedom. They’re bombarded with advertisements, and shopping malls feel like perpetual festivals. Credit card companies lure them with zero-interest offers; one careless swipe, and debt piles up. Then come the physical bills: after overspending, heartburn kicks in. The doctor says it’s stress-related, so they spend $500 on medication but never change their habits.

Chinese people, on the other hand, are raised with the virtue of diligence and thrift. In our parents’ stories, Grandpa wore the same military uniform for ten years when he served. Farmers live with minimal consumption, spending all their earnings on their children’s education. In the villages, anyone who spends recklessly is mocked and said to have “something wrong with their head.” I once saw a street vendor selling used phones, earning a little extra cash. He squinted, smiling contentedly.

The contrast is stark. Americans have higher per capita incomes, and consumption flows like water from a tap. In China, with its 1.4 billion people, income is unevenly distributed. Migrant workers leave their hometowns to labor elsewhere, yet the numbers on their paychecks remain small. When they buy something, they always calculate and recalculate. Last year, when I returned home, the village store had thick dust on its shelves—goods weren’t selling. The owner sighed and said, “No one’s buying anymore. Everyone’s tightening their belts.” I nodded, my mind flashing to my American relative’s spacious, brightly lit mansion, which felt empty nonetheless.

Different lifestyles mean Americans discard not just appliances but also time and memories. Chinese people, by repairing old items, preserve stories—like a family gathered around an old TV, laughing together. Lower consumption levels? Perhaps. But behind it lies a choice. Like me, after returning, I set the air conditioner one degree lower, placed my hand on the wall, felt the coolness, and felt at peace.

都說美國人為什麼消費水平比中國人強？

因為消費習慣差異太大了，我去過美國，在親戚家裡住了十多天。房間里空調嗡嗡作響，夜裡零下，屋內卻熱得汗水順着後背滑落。他們不關機，電費單子像秋葉堆滿桌角。家電壞了就扔，冰箱用了兩年，親戚聳聳肩，說新貨便宜，修它幹嗎，然後開車去大賣場，推車塞滿新玩意兒。

信用卡刷刷刷，月末賬單來時，他只點杯啤酒，眼睛盯着數字，喉結上下滾動，卻不提還款的事。透支生活，像賭注下得隨性。

我記得那次派對，桌上食物堆山，漢堡剩下一半就倒垃圾。親戚笑笑，說浪費？生活本該這樣。我站在廚房，聞着垃圾桶的腐味，手裡握着空盤子，想起家裡的老電飯煲，煮飯時總漏氣，但爸媽用它十年，從沒想過換。

回國后，我問鄰居大叔，他家電視機壞了多少次。他說修修就好，扔了可惜，工具箱里螺絲刀磨得發亮，手指上老繭層層。農民佔中國大半，田裡勞作一天，掙的錢夠買米和菜，手機用五年，屏幕碎了貼張膜繼續用。城市裡，朋友加班到深夜，省吃儉用存錢，買房夢壓在肩頭，偶爾網購件衣服，也猶豫再三。

為什麼這樣？美國人從小學到花錢是自由，廣告轟炸，商場像節日。信用卡公司推銷，零利率誘惑，手一滑，債務堆積。身體賬單：透支后，胃灼熱，醫生說壓力大，花五百刀買葯，卻不改習慣。

中國人，教育里講勤儉持家，爸媽故事裡，爺爺當兵時，一件軍裝穿十年。農民生活，消費少，掙的錢全用於孩子上學，村裡人笑話誰亂花錢，說腦子進水了。我曾見街頭小販，賣舊手機，賺點零錢，眼睛眯起，笑得滿足。

對比鮮明，美國人均收入高，消費像水龍頭擰開。中國，十四億人，收入不均，農民工背井離鄉，工資卡上數字少，買東西時，總是算計再算計。去年回家，村口商店，貨架塵土厚，東西賣不動。老闆嘆氣，說人都不買了，省着過日子。我點頭，腦中閃過美國親戚的豪宅，燈光亮堂，卻空蕩蕩。

生活方式不同，美國人扔掉的，不只是家電，還有時間和回憶。中國人，修好的舊物，藏着故事，電視機前一家人圍坐，笑聲不斷。消費水平低？或許吧，但背後是選擇。像我，回來后，空調調低一度，手摸着牆壁，感覺涼意，卻安心。