The hottest Inequality Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top World Politics Topics

A Tale of Two Boats

Pen>Sword • 179 implied HN points • 24 Jun 23
🌍 World Politics Refugees Media Coverage Inequality Humanitarian Crisis
  1. Mainstream media often prioritizes coverage of wealthy individuals over stories of marginalized groups like refugees
  2. The tale of two boats highlights the stark differences in attention and rescue efforts based on the socioeconomic status of the individuals involved
  3. Media coverage and societal value of human life are often disproportionately distributed

Genetic Fitness and Prime Minister Salaries

Ulysses • 79 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Wealth Politics Inequality Capitalism Morality
  1. Questions are raised about Prime Ministers' salaries and the impact on their performance, highlighting the importance of fair compensation for effective governance.
  2. Wealth generation, inheritance, and income disparity are discussed in relation to social morality and the need for wealth to be created through value-generating activities.
  3. The effectiveness of economic systems in improving quality of life over generations, the role of capital allocation, and the potential risks of policymakers losing touch with the general public are examined.
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Global energy demand could be lower in 2050, despite the world getting richer

Sustainability by numbers • 168 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Decarbonisation Efficiency Electrification Inequality
  1. Global energy demand in 2050 could be lower due to decarbonisation leading to efficiency gains
  2. Final energy use per person is projected to decrease with increased decarbonisation
  3. Electricity demand will rise significantly with the electrification of transport and heating

5 New Books on Cities, Climate, and More

The New Urban Order • 39 implied HN points • 18 Apr 24
📚 Literature Cities Climate Inequality Urbanism
  1. Cities play a crucial role in human happiness, dignity, and equality through sustainable urban design.
  2. The 15-Minute City concept promotes a lifestyle where daily necessities are accessible by walking or biking within a short time frame.
  3. Addressing climate change and inequality requires transforming transportation systems to be inclusive of all people, not just drivers.

Sexual Competition, Social Media & Algorithms

The Great Gender Divergence • 137 implied HN points • 20 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Psychology Beauty Inequality Algorithm
  1. Female beautification is inevitable, especially under intense sexual competition
  2. Sexual competition heightens beautification, with greater competition leading to more focus on appearance
  3. Algorithms on social media platforms like Instagram manufacture an inequality of adoration by showcasing the most popular posts, distorting girls' perception of peer competition

Remigration: A Review of Martin Sellner's Proposal to Reverse the Flow of Refugees and Save Europe

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 109 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Migration Europe Culture Society Inequality
  1. Immigration throughout history has often resulted in serious disadvantages for the indigenous populations of destination lands.
  2. European elites have pursued liberalized immigration policies that may lead to Europeans becoming minorities in their own native lands.
  3. Mass migration is changing European societies and raising concerns about the future cultural and demographic landscape of Europe.

An overview of my thesis in response to an incisive comment

America in Crisis • 99 implied HN points • 21 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Economy Culture Inequality History
  1. Leftists were not happy with President Obama's performance, believing he should have done more to oppose Republican-influenced policies.
  2. The shift in economic culture from stakeholder capitalism to shareholder primacy after 1981 has led to prioritizing shareholder interests over other stakeholders, resulting in growing income inequality.
  3. The discussion around economic policy typically focuses on job creation over wages and income, reflecting a shareholder primacy culture, which has implications for economic outcomes and equality.

How AI is Perceived in Different Cultures

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 15 May 24
🎭️ Culture Ethics Perspectives Global Community Inequality
  1. Different cultures perceive AI ethics differently: Western cultures focus on individual privacy, Eastern cultures prioritize social harmony, Global South concerns focus on inclusivity and fairness, and Indigenous cultures prioritize cultural heritage and environmental relationships.
  2. Cultural perspectives on AI vary: Western cultures see it as an economic advantage, Asian cultures prioritize community well-being, Indigenous cultures view AI through ecological knowledge, and African cultures focus on economic growth.
  3. Global adaptation of AI faces challenges: Developing nations may struggle due to high operational costs, liberal world order fracturing affects governance, and the future of AI adoption presents both opportunities and hurdles.

Were We Expelled from Egalitarian Eden Not by the Pomegranate, But by the Plough and the Ox? Perhaps...

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 76 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
💾 History Civilizations Inequality Agriculture
  1. The shift from gatherer-hunter lifestyles to farming and domestication of animals may have contributed to the emergence of enduring economic inequality.
  2. Increased civilizational complexity led to a rise in potential wealth inequalities, possibly through factors like tools, farm implements, domesticated animals, serfdom, and slavery.
  3. Exploring the dimensions of wealth acquisition and accumulation, such as tools, farmstead implements, animals, serfdom, and slavery, can help understand the expansion of possible wealth inequalities.

How Implicit Biases Compound for Aspiring Executives

The Uncommon Executive • 19 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
💼 Business Bias Diversity Leadership Career Advancement Inequality
  1. Affinity bias, confirmation bias, and negativity bias combined create a self-fulfilling loop that can hinder career progression for minorities.
  2. Implicit biases often show up in actions not taken or opportunities not given, making them challenging to identify and address.
  3. Small biases, left unchecked, can compound over time and lead to lack of diversity at the executive level, making it crucial for both current and aspiring leaders to actively combat biases.

Education and Privilege Laundering

Symbolic Capital(ism) • 39 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
🚌 Education Social Mobility Inequality Admissions Meritocracy
  1. Elite education institutions, from K-12 schools to universities, primarily serve to maintain and enhance social privileges of affluent families through a complex system of privilege laundering.
  2. The emphasis on elite education can often lead to a false perception of meritocracy, where affluent students receive favorable treatment and higher grades despite not necessarily outperforming their less privileged counterparts.
  3. Scandals like 'Varsity Blues' shed light on the reality behind the illusion of merit in elite college admissions, revealing the pervasive nature of privilege laundering in the American educational system.

I’m Not Fucking Eating Bugs: A Manifesto

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 69 implied HN points • 22 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Climate & Environment Media Social Issues Inequality Civil Liberties
  1. Inflation and shrinkflation can drastically affect our quality of life and purchasing power.
  2. The idea of promoting bug-eating to fight climate change may be a distraction from other issues like inequality and reduced quality of life.
  3. The message here is clear: the author is strongly against the idea of eating bugs as a solution to global issues.

The Capitalist Crisis

America in Crisis • 59 implied HN points • 31 Jan 23
💰 Finance Economy Inequality Financialization Stock Market Economic Policy
  1. The capitalist crisis is linked to a drop in capital productivity, which can indicate an unhealthy capitalist system due to factors like inequality affecting demand and economic output.
  2. High levels of inequality can lead to a shortage of demand, causing a decline in capital productivity and contributing to a capitalist crisis.
  3. Financialization of the economy and the shift from stakeholder capitalism to shareholder primacy culture can impact business investment decisions, distribution of profits, and even wage disparities in the financial sector.

Woke Racism

The Carousel • 28 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Discrimination Racism Monopoly Anti-racism Inequality
  1. The concept of 'woke racism' highlights situations where discrimination occurs under the guise of being progressive or equitable.
  2. The text discusses how certain corporations, like Google, have faced criticism for discriminatory practices towards white individuals, despite claims of promoting diversity and inclusivity.
  3. There is a criticism of the idea that anti-racism can sometimes exhibit behaviors that are essentially racist, such as discriminating against individuals based on their race.

Rev. King's Other Dream: Ending Economic Injustice

Humanities in Revolt • 79 implied HN points • 01 Jun 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social justice Economic Justice Activism Inequality Civil Rights
  1. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed in ending economic injustice through political-structural transformation, not just traditional charity efforts.
  2. King saw racism, militarism, and extreme materialism in the economic system as interconnected injustices requiring social transformation and a change in values.
  3. The Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival aims to continue King's vision by demanding federal and state action to address poverty and economic inequality.

Event: Economic Inequality: What Would MLK Do? (Sunday, April 24, 2022)

Humanities in Revolt • 79 implied HN points • 23 Apr 22
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Event Inequality Human Rights Organizing
  1. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. emphasized addressing economic exploitation as part of a wider 'human rights' movement.
  2. King's insights on economic inequality remain relevant today as a new Poor People's Campaign plans to march on Washington, DC.
  3. King's organizing efforts involved a three-pronged analysis of human oppression and his work holds importance in the current context of high economic inequality.

Being a Professor is a (Product and Reinforcer of) Privilege

Symbolic Capital(ism) • 19 implied HN points • 19 Jul 23
🚌 Education Privilege Meritocracy Academia Inequality
  1. Being a tenure-track professor comes with high occupational prestige, pleasant working conditions, and superior job security, offering a lifestyle privilege.
  2. The requirements for becoming a tenure-line professor create barriers for the majority of the U.S. population, favoring elite backgrounds and credentials from prestigious institutions for academic success.
  3. Current academic evaluation practices, such as journal publications, citations, and grant opportunities, often prioritize institutional prestige and professional connections over genuine scholarly merit, reinforcing privileges within academia.

How inequality reduction happened 80 years ago

America in Crisis • 19 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Inequality Economic Policy Political History Taxation Social Policy
  1. Inequality reduction 80 years ago was achieved through a combination of high marginal tax rates, pro-labor policies, and strong economic stimulus.
  2. The handling of economic crises by political elites and the choice of policies played a significant role in resolving the issues without internal conflict.
  3. The alignment of political parties and the evolution of party composition have an impact on the feasibility of implementing policies to address inequality and economic instability.

"Teaching Hopelessness to Kids of Color"

Journal of Free Black Thought • 48 HN points • 12 Apr 23
🚌 Education Race Curriculum Inequality Activism
  1. A Minnesota mother opposes teaching hopelessness to kids of color through the Liberated Ethnic Studies curriculum.
  2. The bill being considered in Minnesota would mandate Ethnic Studies in schools, starting in kindergarten, and focuses on race-based oppression.
  3. Teaching hopelessness to kids of color can have harmful effects and hinder their success.

December, twenty years ago

The Leftovers • 39 implied HN points • 24 Dec 21
🎭️ Culture Christmas Poverty Inequality Weather Social Issues
  1. During Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere, looting used to be a sign that the holiday was close due to issues like poverty, inflation, and unemployment.
  2. TV pundits often commented on the ethics of looting, mentioning the types of items looted and the reasons behind it.
  3. The combination of poverty, anger, inequality, and high temperatures in December created a tense environment that led to looting incidents.

Sal Khan, Serial Education Revolutionary

Freddie deBoer • 11 HN points • 11 Jan 24
🚌 Education Technology Society Inequality Reform Schooling
  1. Sal Khan's past promises about revolutionizing education with Khan Academy videos have not come true.
  2. Educational outcomes are heavily influenced by inequalities in society and students' inherent academic potential.
  3. Acknowledging the limitations of formal schooling is important for understanding the reality of closing academic gaps and erasing social inequality.

Authoritarians and their shitty childhoods

Sex and the State • 6 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Inequality Social Issues Healthcare Public Policy
  1. Life for bottom-half Americans has been worsening over the years due to factors like market concentration, stagnant wages, rising costs, and increasing inequality.
  2. These hardships could be contributing to the rise of Trumpism, affecting mobility, mental health, and overall well-being.
  3. Factors like reduced economic mobility, increasing precarity, and societal challenges like teen depression are linked to the decline in conditions for many Americans.

🌙 The King's Forgotten Dream

UnfairNation by Ehsan Zaffar • 6 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economic Justice Civil Rights Inequality Politics Social reform
  1. The economy and justice are interconnected, emphasizing the need for economic security for all.
  2. Current systems contribute to economic inequality, affecting access to basic needs like healthcare and food.
  3. Proposed solutions like education and voting have limitations in addressing economic inequality, urging for new movements and actions.

Social Justice Discourse Notwithstanding, Universities Run on Disposable Scholars

Symbolic Capital(ism) • 59 implied HN points • 01 May 20
🚌 Education Higher Ed Job Market Social justice Inequality
  1. Universities rely on overproducing PhD candidates to cover undesirable teaching tasks, which leads to exploitation of contingent faculty.
  2. There is a lack of job opportunities for recent PhD graduates, creating a pool of desperate academics reliant on low pay and unstable positions.
  3. Reducing PhD admissions could improve placement rates and bargaining power for academics, but would require faculty to teach more basic courses and do additional work themselves.