Hong Kong: Life in Cages (Global Documentary)

The rift between rich and poor in Hong Kong is profound. Despite being the global capital of the super-wealthy, the premium on space has driven 200,000 people to live in inhumanly cramped conditions.
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[@vanslyke1071]

I will never complain about not having enough space again. This really broke something in me to see people living like that.

[@blob5907]

I will

[@annahale1187]

No one should have to live this way. So terrible. It makes me feel grateful for my 2 bedroom condo in the USA.

[@janice8523]

Watching these documentaries opens my eyes to the reality of the world...and makes me really appreciate and not take for granted the life I have here in the US... my heart goes out to these people, may their situations get better soon!

[@ItzJadez]

wym dog, this will be the US in a decade

[@i.t.1722]

@@ItzJadez new world order!!!

[@bryanbulmer6716]

Look around, we are on our way

[@queenofthebutterflies5212]

There are places in the USA that are as bad, run down and rife with crime.

[@SH-nx7kc]

Videos like this are a powerful reminder to us all to be grateful and appreciative for everything we have been blessed with.

[@annahale1187]

Yes, so true.

[@shawnaellcey6970]

I think the seventy year old man smokes 20 cigarettes a day as it is his only pleasure and to speed up death. No one would be happy in a cage. Shame on society.

[@Laffy1345]

See xken below said translation is different than the lying news. Old man said he would be lonely without his friends. ..see xken

[@celestialcircledance]

Surprised there isn't a no smoking policy . I feel sorrier for all the non smokers living around him ....

[@celestialcircledance]

@@MariaMartinez-gl7bg He has money and pays most of it on the cage . That is the outrage . If he didn't he would be homeless in Hong Kong .

[@LahainaStrong444]

@@MariaMartinez-gl7bg I hear that. L.A. Skid Row --- terrible.

[@youraestheticgurrllll4465]

21:38 that dog lives better than those people’s living conditions 😢💔

[@KatRollo]

Agree. It was definitely to show the huge social inequality.

[@LovinLife-ep3fr]

We don't even let our animals live in cages like that. The way they neglect the bottom 20% of their population is disgraceful!

[@annahale1187]

It's scary to think about how they live, especially when one is claustrophobic to begin with. No one should have to live this way.

[@Nucleararcher_2022]

@@annahale1187 i mean they done it to themselfs, use condoms and lower your sexdrive and all this could have been prevented

[@lalakuma9]

It says "Joe Leung: Pensioner" but I misread it as "Joe Leung: Prisoner" for a second because of the cages around him. This is just sad.

[@tippyroh]

I will never complain about living in small apartment's ever again 😳

[@scratchy1704]

Oh man this is disgraceful. Elderly people climbing up steps to get into a cage to sleep.

[@esthermitchell9558]

This just breaks my heart.. you know they are the forgotten..so sad..

[@eustacethemonk2176]

Thank you for posting this film -- it makes me feel rich, thankful and very fortunate for what I have. It will be a long while before I complain about what I don't have.

[@mjoverocker6072]

This is so heartbreaking.

[@pauleckert4321]

Nobody deserves to live like that. I wish I was super rich to help people out and get them a better place to live. I will never understand these super rich people that have muiltiple houses and have more money then they know what to do with and never help out the poor. I couldnt live with myself knowing I could change peoples lives for the better and dont. I will never understand that.

[@earnold1896]

Sickening when you think of for example Tom Cruise and others giving money to the evil cult of scientology. Or anyone giving money to fake pastors etc., plus so called movie stars buying huge mansions and real estate developers buying dozens of houses and those renting out to poor desperate people for outrageous rent money. It's a bad world but we are the final generation to Jesus return now anyway.

[@chenzenzo]

It would be better if we didn't treat people differently based on money.

[@superdupersnowflake]

Me too ❤️

[@slappymcface5681]

How much of your money are you currently giving the poor?

[@jakeg3126]

Waste of money, too many people are moving there. If they moved to that country they can’t complain because they elected to live there. They could’ve moved anywhere else, but they picked Hong Kong. Oppressed life in China, or non-oppressed 100x less spacious cramped housing. They chose to move to the cramped smaller than 1/3 cell sized homed version.

[@aprilleerose]

I’ve seen documentaries about these before. It’s absolutely disgusting. Imagine having to PAY for such a place.

[@okboomer6201]

Nobody rides for free. It is better than being exposed to the elements.

[@personalcheeses8073]

Ok Boomer! Gee you are all heart

[@markdesign6839]

@@personalcheeses8073 I read a lot of heartless comments- i would expect a lot more compassion 😒

[@michaeltang8607]

It's a take it or leave policy here. There hv no other choice. It's better than sleeping in the streets.

[@deloreswilson1798]

Don't leave some gift for the dead,be kind to your living brothers and sisters.Love each other while "alive". Human dignity goes a long way.Love and respect make the best legacy.Be kind to the living not some paganic practice.Children copy everything we do so we should be careful how we live.🤔

[@nankidd3050]

Boy that was a new reality about Hong Kong .

[@AselflimitedcapitalisemW0mamon]

It's the same everywhere on Earth. But in the US our cages are made of invisible bars made of money, Which we endlessly slave for - so that are wealthy government leaders can increase the strength of the invisible bars. Did you know that free of charge food and shelter materials grow Free-of-charge on the face of this Earth. It's just too bad that the proceeds from the toil and sweat of our brow in our effort to nurture the natural Provisions systems have been converted to monetary gain for the wealthy owners of the planet (and masses of drone workers) on this Earth. I have a method to disconnect from such a money empowered slavery system. But it would require volunteers people able to Envision and assist in designing our future way of life voluntarily without the use of money generation systems I just need to assemble one population of people able to envision our future self designed way of life in order to carry it out. BTW this would be a peaceful mission unlike those of the US Military.

[@sergiosaukka]

This woman Sze Lai-Shan is a Hero, God is watching what she does.

[@chab1rd155]

I would be terribly worried about fires in high rises. ESPECIALLY in the older buildings that have no upkeep and are poorly maintained! Could you imagine how many people would be killed?! I pray for their safety!🙏

[@annahale1187]

I don't like high rises and Hong Kong is a high rise nightmare. They are hideous and dangerous places. Wish we would go back to the architecture of the past and I mean for all cultures. Architecture was beautiful in the past. Today it is dark and sinister.

[@87mitchb]

the rich get richer the poor get poorer its happening all around the world...

[@personalcheeses8073]

Mitchell Truth

[@petertremblay3725]

And soon the most terrible blood bath will happen!

[@emilyblu2906]

Mitchell when people work hard they deserve to make money, it’s not their fault people are poor.

[@petertremblay3725]

@@emilyblu2906 The problem is the society that reward greed!

[@annahale1187]

Illegal monopolies.

[@tatushka5415]

The ones who give a license to those who got those cages they both going to have the same cages when they get old it's called karma

[@foxtailedcritter]

The only way to buy a house is if you were born rich or are a major drug dealer chancing the death penalty.

[@mervikt8374]

As someone with claustrophobia I would die there in fear

[@rubenreyes4477]

I am a retiree and not rich but am grateful with what situation my life has. I thought I was living not on good terms but after seeing this picture I can say am just thankful that I am not living like them.,

[@umhi6197]

Hope life gets better for em 🧡

[@betibup4532]

OMG...how inhuman and disgusting..I did not know how happy am I in my beautiful 40 m2 city centre apartment and 100m2 village house..

[@ruthfitzgerald2376]

It's so sad it would be better live outside

[@EmmyLouWells74]

My 2 bedroom 1/4 million pounds house now feels like a gigantic cheap palace

[@jage5256]

It doesn't cost that much to build those apts. Empty while 11 people live in squalor. Disgusting.

[@iyot1020]

it the land price thats expensive

[@breebw]

They are doing the same "license" regime for housing in New Zealand. You can register as a social housing provider. Most of the protections a tenant has are removed. In New Zealand 6 people including babies live in spaces the same size as some of the spaces in this Doco are not uncommon. Drugs, child abuse is rife. Heating is poor. Female tenants are pressured for sexual favors. So Hong Kong isnt unique. Same in western countries such as New Zealand.

[@Zen_Power]

......I won’t complain about anything after seeing that. What awful conditions.

[@zerozilchnada5373]

Although I appreciate it hasn't been translated well. The documentary makes its point. These people carry an incredible burden for all if not most of their lives. The powers that be, government etc have served its people a gross misjustice. So terribly sad. To think there are people living in prisons and on the streets in other countries that have a better standard of living.😔

[@mari97216]

Looks like the Danish to English is correct, but what was lost in the chinese translations?

[@kasandrajang1253]

@@mari97216 They don’t get the tone or meaning of the conversations quite right. I’m 3 minutes in, but an example so far is the translation when they ask “[…], or have you accepted that this is how you live?” His translated answer says, “it could take the authorities a long time to give me a home, it could be five to eight years”. He really says, “everyone’s close/familiar now, it makes it not easy to move. Moving away as one single person would just be (mumbling along the lines of ‘not good’)…” and pretty much that it would just be a hassle to move. The tone of the rest of the conversation isn’t gotten quite right either.

[@A.M.19958]

It's TRUE that life sometimes is not fair 🤐

[@A.M.19958]

@Mike Smith point taken, however sometimes it's out of our control and it could lead the person into unexpected situations...

[@philizeed8938]

This is so inhuman, how can they let their people live like this

[@workoutfanatic7873]

because billionaires gotta get that second billion. u know? oppressin' ain't ez

[@deloreswilson1798]

Super rich and super sad..and they wonder why they aren't fulfilled?They're selfish and greedy.🤔

[@ghihbgyu]

If anyone wants to convert the amounts of money in the video, it's danish crowns, dkk. You have to divide by around 7 to get usd.

[@deloreswilson1798]

The poor are blessed with a love for each other the rich probably don't experience.When money is your goal its hard to be authentic with regular people. Loneliness is a huge handicap,especially when all you have is money to show your worth.Sad,very sad.Neither knows the other.🤔

[@NitaLink81]

She said “u cough yet u smoke”… leave that poor man alone and let him smoke 100 a day if he wants too. His life looks miserable. Let him have whatever small pleasures he can. Plus people usually smoke due to stress. That poor man. I so want to give him a nice home to live in.

[@henryjohnson-ville3834]

True, besides he probably wants lung cancer so death will take him elsewhere. 😞

[@putthisinyourpipeandsmokit4753]

I thought Asians honored there elders..Gosh damn sad

[@DreamingCatStudio]

This situation makes me ashamed. That reaction helps no-one, I know, but it’s true.

[@SundaysChild1966]

I feel the same way .. wouldn't they be better off living out in the country, on the land? Working on a farm? At least there would be more space to breathe ..

[@Uchihasasuk5]

It does help. The indignant anger helps you fight for what you know you deserve.

[@taradead]

Horrible. Cramped, no windows or ventilation...and roommates who smoke!

[@boivilla7458]

Be practical... If your in a bad situation like those poor people...just have 1 child. Because they also suffer.

[@deloreswilson1798]

This is what gives money a bad name..Money isn't bad, the love of it is.🤔

[@BlakeJakes245]

What happens if their is a fire?

[@librarycard3748]

Prison conditions are better in many countries...

[@cynthiatravers3478]

How lucky are we in Canada to not be there yet???…

[@troywright359]

i'd be interested to see the comparison of HK during british rule and post british rule

[@yohannessulistyo4025]

This has existed since 1970s, during the boom of HK population. That room with 10 guys there has a garbage man that has been in that squalid apartement since 1978, featured in different documentary. "British rule" ended in 1997, and they were too broke to do anything anyway. I visited HK back in 1994, and my auntie-in-law's flat is indeed small. You shower while sitting on the toilet. The problem is simply not British or Chinese rule, it is why this barely change at all over 50 years despite the amount of money flowing into the city.

[@ss-wu1vp]

This has nothing to do with democracy or lack thereof. There are plenty of people in the US who are homeless, living on the streets.

[@keijanayeazell5351]

Wow life changing to see these environments and yet the people are still resilient and become amazing people

[@tiinaheinikangas3936]

I don't understand, why can't people move away from Hong Kong, if it is so hard and expensive to live there?🤔😔

[@ZeroCool-vn9bd]

OMG, Danish, are you kidding me.

[@Nhicki]

I was so suprised i had to do a doubletake when he started speaking

[@kaoris21]

same here :D

[@rebeccaparon8429]

Älskar danska!

[@rhuyisia8163]

The Govt of Hong Kong is very rich! It is very demoralising for her underprivileged people to live such a demoralised n inhuman life! Disgusting HK govt treat humans worst than animals! Also after so many years under the British, I wud expect them to speak Queen's English! Yikes they dun! 👎

[@personalpc7439]

Becoming like this in Ireland too... housing crisis because of mass immigration and new apartments are tiny...

[@karlijnhtc]

Holland too. And prices skyrocketing. When you speak up about immigration and lack of integration and eroding of western culture, you're labeled a racist

[@karlijnhtc]

K a l e r g i plan to bring a socialistic o n e w o r l d g o v e r n m e n t (yt deletes comments when you use these terms)

[@unholyiiamas]

How would immigrants cause your housing costs to skyrocket? You are shifting the blame there.

[@rohypnotist6263]

Being Irish excludes you from complaining about immigration .The Irish are everywhere so STFU

[@karlijnhtc]

@@unholyiiamas because less houses available? So prices go up? Immigrants get a house within 10 weeks, Dutch people have to wait at least 5 years and in the city 10-15 years for a house.

[@deloreswilson1798]

If they had to spend one night in a cage in the dark,where a mouse or rat runs across them while they tried to sleep,they change conditions real fast.🤔

[@deloreswilson1798]

This is unreal..the things nightmares are made of.How can they get away with treating a fellow human like this.They'd go to jail in the USA for this inhumane treatment.At least over here you have room to stand up and walk around with the woods or an actual bathroom and, most times, indoor plumbing with a little privacy.No respect for women or children.🤔

[@Maya-ln1os]

This is terribly sad

[@chab1rd155]

I feel bad for them ALL but mostly the families with children, the elderly, and the physically and mentally ill! 💔

[@TheRubinre]

Shameful. Meanwhile the wealthiest people in the world got 1.2 TRILLION dollars richer in 2019. Let that resonate....smh

[@minidiscgolfguy3551]

We should implicate this in Canada so we can house the homeless.

[@terridemaio2926]

I feel super Lucky in MY ONE Bedroom

[@michaelthong598]

I think the Government can only do so much. Sad.

[@bz3548]

This is so sad specially for the elderly and children.

[@teekolinski491]

As a New Yorker, $760,000 for 2 bedroom apt in the heart of the city doesn't sound so far fetched. Their bedrooms just tend to be smaller.

[@saharaalfie697]

***.. Extremely sad .. ( there's no more middle class worldwide ) And what's going on in Hong Kong / China is shameful .. XE China's P.M. SHAME ON YOU .. for letting your poorest people .. sleep in cages ***

[@annahale1187]

Globalism is the new communism.

[@mepath]

I speak cantonese, at 2:26 the subtitles are VERY wrong. @2:26 "I'm familiar with everyone here. Makes you not want to leave. If I move somewhere else, I'll just be all by myself. I just figure it's not worth it to move", but the subtitles translates it as: "It could take a long time for authorities to give me a home. It could between 5 to 8 years" it really makes me question every single subtitle that I'm reading hence forth on this video.

[@ElMakz]

Well if you understand you would know wouldn't you?

[@jeremysaigon]

So Im a king with my 30m2 bedroom now.

[@trexmidnite]

Why not bring in some homeless people.. then you'll become a real king

[@robmoody4710]

322 sqft

[@faryanshah8215]

So terrible tht cost 5 million house. That size same as my king bedroom.

[@zbigniewmazur819]

You will find such stories in every country you want. What's the rate of poverty in HK comparing to communistic China?

[@ontoyoualways9183]

Sounds like Hong Kong will soon be communist China.

[@donnataylor5673]

👀 are opened Neva knew the conditions were as bad as that

[@endeliggnist5066]

Unregulated capitalism.

[@bl6797]

No! It’s crony capitalism!

[@thedudegrowsfood284]

Hong Kong should declare itself a Free City-State, and shake off the control of China.

[@Sandyzzz]

this is something traumatic i saw..... 😳

[@horus-rz2sj]

Coming to every city in the world.

[@deloreswilson1798]

They look like rundown sleeper cars in trains.Cages for zoo animals.The nerve of treating our fellow humans like this.We're going to pay.They're going to pay.🤔

[@burly636]

Now, the afterlife is where they would not collect anything from me. They could do what they want with me. I am gone I wouldn't care. This is sad from every aspect. Sleeping in a coffin for all intense and purposes. Poor people.

[@LovinLife-ep3fr]

That tiny little burial urn spot at 1.5 million k is equal to approx $192,000.

[@finalomega8894]

How many different languages are y'all gonna speak?!

[@intpleb4206]

18:52 This isn't a lock, you can't secure anything in there when away from your bed. There's a tiny compartment for valuables, but people resorting to sleeping in these don't have valuable jewelry. They need cabinets for their clothing, shoes, blankets. Windows, an AC or air ventilation. A cabinet to store food that won't attract vermin. This is essentially a bandaid for a problem instead of a resolution to it. If the city won't fix it, then funds should be set up both internally and with worldwide charity organizations, to move the working poor out of this city. These conditions are inhumane. Perhaps once Hong Kong loses the workforce willing to clean public toilets and other public service jobs, they'll make the city more habitable and affordable to them.

[@jackimoon8284]

This is exactly what is happening in San Francisco right now.

[@bl6797]

Yes! Preach it!

[@user-rz9wz1bx2l]

Podshare USA

[@jackimoon8284]

राधा कुमार terrifying right?🤦‍♀️😥

[@zbigniewmazur819]

all those IT Behemots don't want to let their workers work remotely. So all those milions of high paid talents has to live in max 1.5h drive from bay area. I can't get this mentality?? Produce internet systems and disallow own employees to use internet working on long distance??? Slave runner mentality imho

[@razojacqueline]

Yes, in Los Angeles too

[@leon386]

Even dying is costly... Yeap... Slovenia is also costly...

[@ainfigaro]

This is not normal, this is a political will, a made up poverty from political decision. In fact and it is well known (just look at google map for example) there is plenty land to live in Hong Kong, but for economic reasons it is not used to keep the price of the land expensive, and this gives taxes (income) to HK government. At the other side HK is a land of very low taxes what makes a place attractive for busyness. Allowing to build new buildings in other areas would be a solution but then the government would have to find other ways to make money... So this is a quite complicated problem and for sure it is not good that some people had to and still have to live in such narrow places. The problem is that the "solution is the problem", and finding another solution would be too much of an effort for those selfish politicians....

[@bluebronx2000]

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. -John 8:34-36

[@IntelExcel]

15:00 - The mouse has more space for living than the owner (relatively). Not trying to be funny; just a sad and strange observation.

[@jocelynpoesnecker5526]

I praise and thank God. We will all die some day. We must worship God now and be good believers in God. I hope for life in God's Garden after death. There is much room and happiness there.

[@mouwersor]

no thx, no proof

[@jocelynpoesnecker5526]

Meowmeow . Surely Dear God Exists. Just look at yourself and think about that you do not make your heart beat and you do not make your blood flow. I ask Dear God humbly to Bless you and your family.🐣🥒🌆🍱🍐🍡🎆🍨🍊🐼🍓🍓🕌🍦🌹🌻🌈🌻❤️🕌🕌🕌

[@mouwersor]

@@jocelynpoesnecker5526 The same 'argument' can be given for pretty much every other religion out there... Why would your religion be the special one, the one that is actually true

[@jerimow8400]

I share a large cage with window in Florida. I am blessed.

[@msrisathith]

JeriMo W r u lying Florida people live like these too?

[@jerimow8400]

Marina Srisathith I was being sarcastic. I’m so sorry for giving the wrong impression. I have actually never heard of that cage lifestyle in Florida. Again, my apologies. May God bless you.

[@bryanbulmer6716]

I've been to third world countries with better living situations

[@keepingitreal9646]

rich picks do nothing. makes me MAD

[@pocohontas]

Just browsing the future of Istanbul

[@deloreswilson1798]

Are landlords all crooks?Mine is a bandit too.There's gonna be a special judgement for landlords.Really.🤔

[@chab1rd155]

Also, there are poor people in EVERY country in the world.

[@deloreswilson1798]

The rich unsaved in Hong Kong are going to pay big time just for this evil,to name a few things amongst many evils toward their citizens.

[@Tiger-dw8bj]

Before Hong Kong is not many this question, until too many mainland people around 150 people per day come to Hong Kong , they can easy to live public house more than real Hongkonger, being Hongkonger need to pay high rent the too small house.....

[@vtech920]

Smoking cigarettes is an exepnsive habbit. Where I live, a pack of 20 Cigarettes will cost you $15 dollars. If you are smoking 20 a day, You'll be spending $105 a week= $420 a month.

[@lanalvr2413]

All of the poor people are going to heaven

[@kass_G59]

Lol oh yeah?

[@aprilleerose]

Kass the Bible says the poor and the meek shall inherit the kingdom of Heaven.

[@ontoyoualways9183]

@@aprilleerose It says the poor in spirit. Not cash

[@capricorn839]

This 70-year old man lives in a cage and still can afford to smoke 20 sticks a day and yet he looks fitter than a 17 years old. Amazing !

[@deloreswilson1798]

How dare them jeopardize the women's safety by mixing with the men.All men aren't gentlemen.The nerve.🤔

[@darlenelawson1255]

In America there are millions that are homeless and live on the street. Perhaps they would prefer that cages 🇨🇦

[@annahale1187]

Doubtful.

[@boogiemonstermom677]

Correct me if I'm wrong but 7.5 mil kroners is around 853,475.32 us dollars? Damn that's steep for something so small 😕 Edit: posted this too soon, later on he said the price is about 6mil Danish krones so that's about 682,680.00 us dollars. Still pretty steep just not AS steep

[@eddenoy321]

It's a bargain when you stop to think about it...

[@boogiemonstermom677]

@@eddenoy321 you may have to explain your opinion to me for me to better understand, I'm just finding it hard to see how it is a bargain when someone where I live could get a full size 3 bedroom home with at least 1½-2baths for $200,000. Not saying your opinion is invalid or wrong in anyway, just that I'm personally having trouble seeing it.

[@eddenoy321]

@@boogiemonstermom677 Bcuz next month, it will be worth even more..

[@boogiemonstermom677]

@@eddenoy321 so you're saying it's a bargain if they can buy it outright because property prices are ever increasing and they can earn their money back easily if they sell or rent it right?

[@eddenoy321]

@@boogiemonstermom677 Yes you get the idea.

[@ElMakz]

The future of the world.

[@malenesparrewathnielsen9195]

1 min in... just realized it was in my native language ^^

[@jumblesauce]

I know where this is heading.

[@jeffreywolfe7371]

It's really annoying to not convert square meters to square feet. All the good American documentary people convert feet to meters as a habit. I am not suggesting that one measuring system is better than the other, if anything I prefer the metric system (from college). But I don't understand it spatially. As an engineer in the US. Please work on that it's not hard to convert square meters to square feet, but it's hard to watch an awesome documentary in the US and get real sense of it in real time, without the conversion. If you don't want to appeal to people in the US, you failed at that too :) lol that's a joke, thanks for the awesome content!