The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Changes the Way We Think, Live and Die

We are especially likely to manufacture meaningful patterns when we feel powerless. The predictability, and therefore controllability, of patterns provides a bit of solace from the lack of control.

high levels of pay inequality reduced the satisfaction of those at the bottom without increasing the happiness of those at the top,

The monkeys’ preference was clear. They wanted to look at the high-status monkeys, and they would sacrifice a lot of juice to do so. In fact, they had to be paid extra juice to tolerate the sight of the low-status monkeys compared with looking at nothing but a blank screen.

strongest correlate of inequality was searches for luxury goods.

Understanding implicit bias requires taking a more nuanced approach to the individuals we are easily tempted to label as “racist” or “not racist.”

when customers learn that a corporation has high pay inequality between the CEO and regular workers, they are willing to penalize it by buying from a competitor with lower inequality.

racial gaps in wealth (i.e., total net worth) have only increased in recent decades.

We normally speak of conservatives and liberals, not conservative moments and liberal moments. The truth is that we experience both. Sometimes we think through an issue based on our principles and end up at an ideological conclusion. At other times we take our cues from a particular situation and find an ideology that fits the moment. When we refle

Custom, in the same manner, has rendered leather shoes a necessary of life in England. The poorest creditable person of either sex would be ashamed to appear in public without them. Yesterday’s linen shirt is today’s smartphone.

If they view their political opponents as incompetent, irrational, or immoral, then they won’t be motivated to compromise.