We all talk a pretty piece about economic inequality, but the truth is we love it. Equality is the last thing we want. The math looks like this:
7.25 billion people on the planet divided by world GDP of $77.3 trillion equals about $10,700 per person. And we have
devastated our ecosystem to reach this level of output, so its not as simple as just growing the pie. To some degree, at least in the short run, we are dealing with a zero sum game. Our luxurious life style, even if we are just scraping by on thirty grand a year, is responsible for great poverty and suffering.
To be fair, it is also probably responsible for great technological innovations like gene therapy or the iphone that make life fabulous! I mean, who can afford an iphone on 10k a year? If we all went full Ghandi tomorrow our economy would grind to a halt, and with it the advance of technology that has the potential to create a bigger and more sustainable pie.
What I'm calling for here is not equality, but conscientious consumption. Each of us acknowledging our debt to people struggling in poverty and doing something, however small, to make a difference. If you're an entrepreneur, consider choosing the level of income you need to live your version of a comfortable and rewarding life, and ask yourself how can I make my good or service affordable to as many people as possible while still maintaining this lifestyle. In other words, start a non profit. If you're a working man or woman, consider heading over to CharityNavigator.org and committing a small portion of your monthly income to a worthy cause. Not willing or able to make such sacrifices? Here's something simple and easy you can do to make the world a better place every time you surf the net. Tab for a Cause
is a browser extension that replaces your new tab page with a beautiful page that raises money for charity as you surf.
It's free and it feels good! Each time you open a new tab you earn hearts that you can choose to donate to various charities partnered with
Tab for a Cause!