“ the world can no longer afford two things: first, the costs of economic inequality; and second, the rich”
“ The evidence gathered by social epidemiologists, including us, shows that large differences in income are a powerful social stressor that is increasingly rendering societies dysfunctional”
“ Even affluent people would enjoy a better quality of life if they lived in a country with a more equal distribution of wealth”
“ Greater equality will reduce unhealthy and excess consumption, and will increase the solidarity and cohesion that are needed to make societies more adaptable in the face of climate and other emergencies”
it can make it a much worse place too. It's why we can find versions of "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" dating back to the book of Sirach in the second century BC (it was probably being said before then, that's just he first written record of a similar proverb).
Yes, the phrases "For your own good" or "Making the world a better
place" often precede tyranny and carnage,
Lots of modern technology that is ruinous to human life is built by
people who deeply, sincerely believe they're "bringing value and
progress" to the world. I never doubt their heartfelt intentions.
That's what makes it a genuine tragedy.
So, as I age, I revert to more fundamental thoughts about love
rather than merely being "less wrong" or "effectively altruistic" or
"making the world better". Whose world?
"Equality is essential for sustainability. The science is clear — people in more-equal
societies are more trusting and more likely to protect the environment than are those in
unequal, consumer-driven ones."
If climate is anything to go by, science has had made precious little
ground against the forces of greed and denial.
But I am interested to see the concept of trust brought in here.
We know that high-trust societies have larger GDP, better life
expectancy, and more [0].
Last week I spoke with some people about "zero trust" and the menace
of the "cashless society" in a programme on Disappearing Worlds [1] -
how technology is making things like trust and human contact
disappear. Whereas the Nature article places the blame at the feet of
the "The Rich" I think more nuance is needed.
The crisis is not caused by concentration of capital, but by who has
it. We have always had wealth imbalance, rich industrialists and so
on. We have not had "techno-elites" and suffered the combination of
super-wealthy sociopaths with small world-views getting control of the
means of communication, payment and education to such a dangerous
degree before.
I think when everyone has access to essential services and opportunities for personal development, it leads to a more productive and resilient society.
You can look at the USA vs Canada to prove that that isn't a necessary condition for a more productive, resilient society. Canada has more equal access to essential services and opportunities for personal development and it's junk vs the USA on productivity and resiliency.
You could look at Daron acemoglu's book "The Narrow Corridor" for much more likely to be necessary conditions for a more productive and resilient society. I would add a deep and wide capital market to provide the funding engine to new ideas to the strong state kept in check by strong society (which in itself is kept in check by being multipolar) because how junk Canada's capital market is has personally very negatively affected multiple business ventures I've been involed in to the point I don't fund stuff in Canada anymore no matter how good it looks on paper.
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[ 2.7 ms ] story [ 41.0 ms ] threadSounds like an ideological view but tell me I’m wrong
It genuinely feels like you know you're assuming the worst when the article doesn't go that far.
“ The evidence gathered by social epidemiologists, including us, shows that large differences in income are a powerful social stressor that is increasingly rendering societies dysfunctional”
“ Even affluent people would enjoy a better quality of life if they lived in a country with a more equal distribution of wealth”
“ Greater equality will reduce unhealthy and excess consumption, and will increase the solidarity and cohesion that are needed to make societies more adaptable in the face of climate and other emergencies”
It does go that far
Interesting reference, good one!
Yes, the phrases "For your own good" or "Making the world a better place" often precede tyranny and carnage,
Lots of modern technology that is ruinous to human life is built by people who deeply, sincerely believe they're "bringing value and progress" to the world. I never doubt their heartfelt intentions. That's what makes it a genuine tragedy.
So, as I age, I revert to more fundamental thoughts about love rather than merely being "less wrong" or "effectively altruistic" or "making the world better". Whose world?
If climate is anything to go by, science has had made precious little ground against the forces of greed and denial.
But I am interested to see the concept of trust brought in here.
We know that high-trust societies have larger GDP, better life expectancy, and more [0].
Last week I spoke with some people about "zero trust" and the menace of the "cashless society" in a programme on Disappearing Worlds [1] - how technology is making things like trust and human contact disappear. Whereas the Nature article places the blame at the feet of the "The Rich" I think more nuance is needed.
The crisis is not caused by concentration of capital, but by who has it. We have always had wealth imbalance, rich industrialists and so on. We have not had "techno-elites" and suffered the combination of super-wealthy sociopaths with small world-views getting control of the means of communication, payment and education to such a dangerous degree before.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-trust_and_low-trust_socie...
[1] https://cybershow.uk/episodes.php?id=25
You could look at Daron acemoglu's book "The Narrow Corridor" for much more likely to be necessary conditions for a more productive and resilient society. I would add a deep and wide capital market to provide the funding engine to new ideas to the strong state kept in check by strong society (which in itself is kept in check by being multipolar) because how junk Canada's capital market is has personally very negatively affected multiple business ventures I've been involed in to the point I don't fund stuff in Canada anymore no matter how good it looks on paper.