Could a Traveler Misunderstand a Place by Visiting Only Its Best Parts?
Highlights reveal excellence. Patterns reveal reality.
A traveler visits only famous districts, luxury shopping streets, and iconic landmarks.
The hidden mechanism is selection bias. Observations become distorted when they come from unusually visible or exceptional examples.
Every place contains both showcases and routines.
A city's highlights explain what it is proud of. Its ordinary places explain what it depends on.
