Economic inequality is a very big problem in America, and we
should all take it seriously. The graphs that Andrew Wilkinson showed us, and
that we concluded was that U.S. has one of the greatest gaps between the rich
and poor. He definitely showed us the things that make each country look bad,
but I simply think he did this so we realize what’s happening to our economy. If
we didn’t know what was going on where we live or other places, then we would
simply turn a blind eye. I found it quiet interesting that for a majority of the
graphs, that the United States was always on the negative part or the side that
caused the problems. Also that the U.S. had a high income inequality and
therefor meant that the index of health and social problems was the worst. On
one of the graphs it shows the the people in more unequal countries trust each
other less. For example, Sweden and Norway are one of the lowest Income
Inequalities and by that they are both the highest countries where they trust people.
The countries that have bigger income gaps have worst health, social relations and
human capital, that it could be 10 x’s worse than other countries that don’t have
that big of a gap. He points out that Japan and Sweden are similar on many of
the graphs although they both have different economies. I think one of the best
countries that has the smallest economical inequality gaps is Japan, simply
because they go against the norm. This video interests me in a way because, he
gives us ideas of the problems and what everyone one of us can do to make a
difference, although what we can do to make a difference isn’t specific he
gives us ideas.
In Richard Wilkinson's Ted Talk video, his main purpose was to lay out all the facts of how economic inequality causes harm to societies. I, like you, agree with him that this is a serious issue. Wilkinson displays many graphs throughout the video which depict the harsh reality we are faced with: Americans are being effected greatly in a negative way as a result of our country's high economic inequality. For instance, the graph displaying the relationship between index of health & social problems vs. income inequality proves how the higher the country's inequality is the worse the problems are. Unfortunately for us the United States has the highest income inequality shown on the graph. I believe he did this to show us the true severity of the situation we are in. This needs to change or our future generations will continue to suffer the consequences.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Wilkinson laid out all the bad aspects of the U.s and other places around the world that lack income equality. However, in your comment about the US being the worst country and how he drew attention to our economic problems. I think this is not true our country’s poverty and lack of inequality has always been a problem and it seems like it will always be a problem. The people in this country turn heads to this issues simply because they are not living in poverty. We don’t change anything unless an issue affects us or our social status directly. In your reference to Sweden and Norway there is more trust in those countries because there isn’t much of a competition or a fight for success as there is here. Income inequality is an issue that we as people and a nation need to look into and pay deeper attention to. In politic this is always discussed but solutions aren’t made or acted upon. That is what we need to do build solutions and stop just making this issue a discussion. I believe the TED talk would have been a lot more effective if Wilkinson suggested some solutions as well as addressing what income inequality does to society.
ReplyDeleteEconomic inequality in the U.S. is not a problem we should concern ourselves with because all of the charts and graphs Richard Wilkinson showed pointed to one specific pattern: that some people here in the U.S. work harder than others. Even though this idea can be shown through graphs and their relations to violence or poor living style, it’s still the reality that we live in today. Some people will grow up and not become millionaire CEO’s or doctors and lawyers. Some people will have to be janitors, fast food workers, and other minimum wage paying jobs because our economy would not be able to function without everyone’s help. I believe social inequality is what fuels young people today to go out and do something better and make a better life for themselves rather than the one they were given. Economic inequality is only a problem to a person’s certain point of view. To people on the bad side of it, of course they will see it as a problem and have surveys and research to back it up, but the truth of the matter is without economic inequality, we would not be considered one of the most powerful countries in the world, with some of the highest standard of living around.
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