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Income inequality in America has been growing rapidly, and is expected to increase [PDF]. While the widening wealth gap is a hot topic in the media and on the campaign trail, there's quite a disconnect between the perceptions of economists and those of the general public.
For instance, surveys show people tend to underestimate the income disparity between the top and bottom 20% of Americans, and overestimate the opportunity for poor individuals to climb the social ladder. Additionally, a majority of adults believe that corporations conduct business fairly despite evidence to the contrary and that the government should not act to reduce income inequality.
Even though inequality is increasing, Americans seem to believe that our social and economic systems work exactly as they should. This perspective has intrigued social scientists for decades. My colleague Andrei Cimpian and I have demonstrated in our recent research that these beliefs that our society is fair and just may take root in the first years of life, stemming from our fundamental desire to explain the world around us.
http://theconversation.com/lifes-not-fair-so-why-do-we-assume-it-is-45981
(Score: 2) by Zinho on Saturday September 12 2015, @02:25AM
Thanks for that explanation, because before now I had very little comprehension of what the phrase "check your privilege" meant. In context, it seems to mean "shut up and go away, you just lost this discussion because I'm offended." Until now I'd never even seen an attempt at defining it. The people using that phrase habitually need a better outreach program for those who sympathize with their cause but have no idea what they mean when they talk.
"Space Exploration is not endless circles in low earth orbit." -Buzz Aldrin