The growing gulf
between rich and poor inflicts biological damage on bodies and brains.
Western
cultures have long cherished the notion that all people are created equal. But
in the real world, our lives are not balanced with equal opportunities and
resources. This distinction was noted mordantly in 1894 by author Anatole
France, who wrote that “the law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as
well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal
bread.” The rich, of course, need none of these things, whereas the poor often
have little choice. And economic disparity has only gotten worse during the
past several decades, particularly in the U.S. In 1976 the richest 1 percent of
U.S. citizens owned 9 percent of the country’s wealth; today they own nearly 24
percent. This trend echoes around the globe.
Life
in societies with wide gaps between rich and poor creates ongoing social and
psychological stresses. These grind down the body in a host of unhealthy ways,
affecting our brains, our immune systems and our DNA, according to a broad
range of research.
The
above are quotes from Dr. Robert M. Sapolsky’s article “The Health-Wealth Gap” in the November 2018 issue of Scientific American, pp. 63-67. Pick-up
a copy or view it online at http://scientificamerican.com
.
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