The statistic on page 29 that made the biggest impression on me is the fact that a very small percentage of people own most of the wealth in the U.S. It’s surprising to see just how much wealth is concentrated in the hands of the top 1% while the majority of people have very little in comparison. This highlights just how extreme the wealth gap really is.

Living in a society with such huge wealth inequalities can create many problems. For one, it can lead to unequal access to resources like education, healthcare, and housing. People with less wealth may struggle to meet basic needs, while the wealthy have more than enough. This inequality can create tension and division, as people feel that they are not given equal opportunities.

We see this in everyday life, for example, in education. Wealthy families can afford private schools or extra resources for their children, while lower-income families have fewer options and may end up in underfunded public schools. This difference in access affects people’s chances of success later on, making it hard to escape lower-income situations. This wealth gap is a cycle that keeps repeating, as those who start with wealth often stay wealthy, and those who don’t face an uphill battle.