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Ask HN: Why is there so much focus on American inequality but not on Global?
Average American is still living a life of best standards than a large part of the world.
Why is there so much focus on American equality and none on global inequality?
Is it accepted as a fact that to have a life of higher European/American standard, it's a must to keep half of the world in desperate position? Afterall someone has to stay at the bottom, then only some can be on the top?
- CM30 8y agoProbably because people find it easier to empathise with those closer to them than those further away. It's tied to the idea of Dunbar's Number, the concept that people can only maintain relationships with about 150 people closest to them, and find it harder to care about those outside of said number than those in it. It's not really selfishness or a want for inequality as much as it is a psychological issue that's difficult to overcome. People are simply not 'built' to be able to empathise with 7 billion people at once.
- roddux 8y agoWhere America goes, the world follows.