The Oil Drum

Capitalism allows the tails of the wealth distribution to be very wide (lots of poor people, lots of billionaires). Because of our relative fitness algorithms, we will on average be happier with less, if others have less and there are no ostentatious rich people in our midst. I don't think our genes will ever allow for total equality, but a lower GINI index for a society must be healthier, at least on a full planet. China has double and then some its per capita income in past decade, yet according to worldvaluesurvey.org, there are not as many happy people (because there are now more billionaires they have to look to as 'role models".

There was a Harvard test showing that Harvard undergrads on average would prefer to make $75,000 per year when all their peers were making $50,000 than make $100,000/yr when all their peers were making $200,000/yr. Its all a relative game. On a full planet reaching resource constraints, we are all chasing the modern cultures goals and lead runners in the pack - Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Richard Branson, etc. In my opinion, we need to a) through policy or social change, shrink the tails of the wealth distribution, and b) make things that are sustainable for the planet be the goals that make us 'fitter' than the next guy. If women thought organic farmers living off the grid and growing/canning all their own food were 'hot' and were turned off by profligate spenders who were mortgaging the planets future, then social change would follow

I wont lay the responsibility all on the women of course, but they sure have power....