> Researchers are judged on published papers? Publish papers that appear just good enough to be published, ignore everything else. Products are bought based on looks on price? Make a cheap product that appears just good enough to be sold, ignore everything else.
This is just the result of very strong competition.
The only reason things aren't crap in other places is because things are less competitive (due to lower stakes) and people have a desire to make good things (particularly if they have strong cultural values relating to this) and do good work which can rise to the top of the priority list if competition isn't too fierce.
The stakes in China are high and were even higher in the past. And values of quality have been sacrificed due to how high competition was back then and those who sacrificed quality are now successful, leading others to immitate them. Quality is likely to improve in the future once people become more secure and the people who were most ruthless in the most competitive times start dying off.
This is just the result of very strong competition.
The only reason things aren't crap in other places is because things are less competitive (due to lower stakes) and people have a desire to make good things (particularly if they have strong cultural values relating to this) and do good work which can rise to the top of the priority list if competition isn't too fierce.
The stakes in China are high and were even higher in the past. And values of quality have been sacrificed due to how high competition was back then and those who sacrificed quality are now successful, leading others to immitate them. Quality is likely to improve in the future once people become more secure and the people who were most ruthless in the most competitive times start dying off.