An Indian vlogger has ignited a lively debate on social media by sharing a video of New York’s streets, showcasing thick, foul-smelling smoke emanating from manholes at a bustling intersection.
In the video, Nitish Advitiy showed a typical New York City pedestrian crossing, where thick white smoke suddenly billows out of manholes in the middle of the road. Despite the smoke, pedestrians and cars continue to move about their business, a scene that might be familiar to NYC locals but appears jarring to international visitors.
“America’s Stinkiest City,” the video was captioned on Instagram.
Watch the video here:
The video has triggered a mixed bag of responses, with some users finding humour in the situation and others criticising the double standards at play. Others highlighted the perceived hypocrisy, with a few users suggesting that Western nations often unfairly judge developing countries’ hygiene issues while ignoring similar problems at home.
One user wrote, “OMG I can’t believe this is NYC.”
Another commented, “This is what Western media never shows.”
A third said, “This looks so yucky.” A fourth added, “Please tag this video to the President to show him the mirror.”
Before this, Mr Advitiy shared another video showcasing life in the US. In an Instagram reel, he expressed his surprise at his neighbours’ reaction in the US, after a house in his neighbourhood caught fire. He noted that none of them came out to check on the homeowner affected by the fire or offer any kind of assistance. According to him, the fire department responded promptly, but the neighbours’ cold response was striking.