In a previous post, I mentioned that I had listened to a podcast about how our "American Dream" mentality in the U.S. has a negative side. The idea that the U.S. is a land where anyone who wants to can go from rags-to-riches has the negative corollary that anyone who has not achieved riches is "lazy."
I just listened to another podcast I found interesting. It's about the effect of scarcity (poverty) on the human brain and human thinking. It describes how, when we are faced with a scarcity of a necessary resource, it impacts what we can and do think about. The focus narrows to the scarcity, and to short-term thinking instead of to the larger picture and long term effects. In short, when you're hungry, all you can think of is food. When you are poor, all you can think of is where the next month's rent will come from. The impact on making long term plans and implementing them is profound.
It's worth a listen (or read).
I just listened to another podcast I found interesting. It's about the effect of scarcity (poverty) on the human brain and human thinking. It describes how, when we are faced with a scarcity of a necessary resource, it impacts what we can and do think about. The focus narrows to the scarcity, and to short-term thinking instead of to the larger picture and long term effects. In short, when you're hungry, all you can think of is food. When you are poor, all you can think of is where the next month's rent will come from. The impact on making long term plans and implementing them is profound.
It's worth a listen (or read).
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