The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Affects the Way We Think, Live, and Die

Imagine you are on a crowded airplane. The rows stretch back like a social ladder, with first class at the front and economy trailing behind. Though everyone on board might be middle class by broader standards, the mere presence of first-class seating creates a palpable tension among passengers. This tension is not just about physical comfort but about status — a deeply human craving as old as our primate ancestors. Studies reveal that incidents of air rage are nearly four times higher in economy sections on planes with first-class cabins compared to those without. This shows how visible inequality, even among relatively well-off people, can spark conflict and stress.

But why does this happen? It turns out that our sense of status is not just about how much money we have or what job we hold. In fact, only about 20% of how people rate their own status can be explained by objective factors like income, education, or prestige. Most of our sense of where we stand comes from subjective perceptions, shaped by social comparisons and context. This is why two people with similar incomes might feel very differently about their social standing.

Interestingly, this craving for status is not uniquely human. Rhesus macaque monkeys, our distant relatives sharing about 93% of our DNA, will choose to forgo juice rewards just to look at images of higher-status monkeys. This evolutionary trait suggests that our desire to climb social ladders is deeply embedded in our biology. Our brains have evolved reward circuits that respond as strongly to relative status as they do to tangible rewards like food or money.

Understanding this helps explain why feelings of poverty and deprivation can exist even among people who are not poor in absolute terms. Our minds measure wealth and success not in isolation but relative to those around us. Feeling lower on the social ladder can trigger stress, anxiety, and behaviors that undermine well-being.

As we begin this journey through the intricate effects of inequality, remember: It is not just what you have, but how you perceive your place in the social hierarchy that shapes your thoughts, feelings, and actions. This insight lays the foundation for understanding the complex ways inequality touches every aspect of our lives.

Let us now move forward to explore how these social comparisons operate beneath our awareness and influence our decisions in subtle but powerful ways.