Okay, those of us whose curiosity about the world is never satiated are perpetual students. We never actually left school. When I retired, I began studying behavioral economics – reading books about investing as well as books about how we humans respond to external stimuli that affect our decision-making.
These days, my interests have turned to how wealth is distributed in our society. I am currently an avid follower of Robert Reich’s UC Berkley course on Wealth and Poverty. The course is a 14-week series of 90-minute lectures. The first four of these are already on YouTube. You can also subscribe to them on Inequality Media. The course is free.
Lecture 4, which Susan and I attended last week, addressed some important features of structural (generational) inequality. It laid bare the simple reality that “The American Dream” has become accessible to an inexorably shrinking cross-section of our society. It is available to those with advanced education, those with legacy or dynastic wealth, and a few super-stars (sports figures, media stars, and others) who might emerge from even humble beginnings. But the American Dream is beyond the reach of most work-a-day Americans. For them, it is a dream alone – unattainable.
I’m waiting for Governors DeSantis, Abbott and other fragile white male egos to advocate a ban of these lectures because they are CRT. UC Berkley is a bastion of liberalism, of course; we’re talking California, after all. And Professor Reich is an iconic “libtard.” I too am a libtard albeit no icon. I am grateful to be a student in this class, and I delight that I continue to be the beneficiary of a “free” public education at the ripe old age of 72.
Thank you, Professor.