The Current, CBC Radio, interview re psychology of wealth. Worth a listen.
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I responded:
RE: re-play of Tremonti interview on Wealth. Add anecdotal to science:
A predicament: I had to get from Medicine Hat to Saskatchewan Landing on the South Sask River where my car was waiting for the arrival of a small group of canoers. ( I had to abandon the trip down river because of extremely high winds; my canoe was too light, buffeted around like a leaf.)
There was only one way to get to Sask Landing: hitch-hike along a rural highway that parallels the border between Alberta and Sask. The sun beat down hot. the wind too hot to bring relief. Traffic steady but not a large amount on a Sunday.
Without fail, the SUV’s and shiny half-ton trucks swerved out and past, not slowing even a little. The ONLY people who stopped to pick me up drove clunker cars. It took four rides to arrive at destination.
I loved every one of the people who gave me a ride. They were interesting and generous, Multi-dimensional characters. Great conversation.
I avoid people that I stereotype to be one-dimensional; I wonder whether they take time to think and to question the culture that shapes us.
This second, quick story draws out another characteristic: I was door-ro-door knocking in a political campaign in Saskatoon. The constituency was divided – an upscale area adjacent to the River and a poorer area back from the River.
We had fun campaigning in the poorer area, often joking and joshing with the people who opened the door.
There was a marked difference in the upscale homes. It was the only time when Scowls greeted us, and some outright rudeness. There was No or little, curiosity. Kill-joys literally.
We kind of felt sorry for those people and hoped they didn’t have kids. By-and-large, they seemed to be unhappy.
Nothing scientific here, just experience that left an impression.
We learn from experience, but conditioning and the lack of time for reflection can colour the experience.
Maybe the biggest factor is that people think they are “free” to make choices, but they are actually disempowered, caught in a trap they didn’t understand they were making. Now too entangled to know how to exit. A recipe for unhappiness.