The Essence of Wealth Lies in Exchange and Circulation
When there’s no circulation and no exchange, even something valuable ends up as nothing but trash. It’s like how a local might look at a tourist attraction and see nothing special, while an out-of-towner sees it as a must-visit pilgrimage site.
How can a city develop without an influx of outsiders? By forcing locals to trade with each other? That doesn’t create wealth growth. A city with no visitors has no future. So everything that attracts outsiders should be supported. The last thing a city should do is排斥 (exclude) outsiders. As long as people come in and transactions happen, wealth is created. The higher the turnover rate, the more vibrant the economy, the stronger the wealth effect, and the better the future.
Each city’s population inflow and outflow data is public. Use this data to pick the city you want to move to and build a future in—one with strong outward migration (more people coming in). You’re choosing different elevators; they all move at different speeds. Each city has its own strengths—search the top dozens of companies there and make your decision based on that.
Schools are tied to their cities. Pick the best school within a reasonable distance so you can build alumni connections for local development.
Also, consider the corresponding industrial clusters—the distribution of upstream and downstream industries. This affects your career trajectory. At 30, you’re managing; at 40, you’re in executive roles; at 50, you’re a partner. Many people “graduate” from their careers by age 30–35. You need to think about whether upstream and downstream industries exist so you can find work if needed.
If there are no upstream or downstream industries, after graduation you’ll be forced to switch industries or cities, starting over from scratch and losing all your prior accumulation. With an industrial cluster, you’ll always have a next option. Your accumulated knowledge and network stay with you and can still be used.
If you want a stable marriage, the key isn’t finding a partner who shares your hardships, but ensuring you never face those hardships in the first place—having contingency plans ready for any life变故 (changes or crises).