Dave Backwith sent the link to this three minute animation promoting equality and the book, The Spirit Level, written by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Picket. To be honest I thought we had run a piece on the book itself, but I can’t locate it. So for an interview with the authors go to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/mar/12/equality-british-society
and for a chuckle click on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsEZr3s1aBA
The authors point out that the life-diminishing results of valuing growth above equality in rich societies can be seen all around us. Inequality causes shorter, unhealthier and unhappier lives; it increases the rate of teenage pregnancy, violence, obesity, imprisonment and addiction; it destroys relationships between individuals born in the same society but into different classes; and its function as a driver of consumption depletes the planet’s resources.
From Linsley Hanley’s review at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/mar/13/the-spirit-level
Richard is a regular speaker here in Liverpool. One of our local Cllrs is a big fan. I have been to a couple of his seminars – very informative and thought provoking. Reformist rather than revolutionary but in this times plenty to digest