In TED talk featuring: Richard Wilkinson. Richard Wilkinson talked about how economic inequality harms society. In studies shown, wealth does not change life expectancy. Sure, having more money can help a person get a doctor and medicine. The top twenty percent (countries) are estimated to be four times as rich as the bottom percent. This is based off of class, income, etc.. Also, to add on, the top twenty percent are two times as equal. Those in the top percent are treated with more respect, seen as better people, and do not have many conflicts. But, is that really true? Those countries that are in the lower percent are close to a correlation when shown on a graph about common issues. These issues are: teen pregnancy, dropouts, infant mortality, and many more. This means those countries that are in the top twenty percent are way off the chart, because these problems happen way more often in the top countries than the lower countries. Countries that are wealthy have more problems. Average well-being of today's society almost no longer depends on or wealth and national economic growth. A person's place in social class differences between people is their relations and what they own. Differences in relation such as: trust, mental illness, violence, population in prison, school drop outs, income (income equals social mobility), and social dysfunction. Surprisingly, those countries in the top percent have a higher percentage of these problems. You would think the more money the less problems. No, the more money, the more problems. This harms society because those in higher class treats lower class poorly and does not care about them. This is social class inequality. This harms society because it creates tension between those in different statuses. The tension can be jealousy, status competition, how people are seen by others, and how much money each individual has. To look on the positive side,it also makes people with less more wealth appreciative of what they have more than those who are wealthier. So it is not all negative, but social inequality affects and harms society.
This relates to the novel The Great Gatsby, because social class clearly affects everyone in the book. Each person is affected by how money they have and their social status. Gatsby has so much money that he throws his very expensive shirts everywhere and he does not care. Also, in the novel the higher up you were in statues, the more problems each character had. |