1.The wealth statistic that struck me the most is the notion that your economic status is heavily influenced by the family you’re born into. The idea is that if you’re not wealthy, it’s not due to a lack of effort, but rather, the luck of having affluent parents. Even though there are stories of individuals rising from poverty to wealth, these cases are highlighted as exceptions rather than the norm. This revelation was surprising because it implies that your family background significantly shapes your economic opportunities, and it’s not entirely within your control if you’re not in the wealthy or middle-class category.
2.Residing in a society marked by extensive wealth disparities contributes to the rise in poverty as there are limited income sources for the less affluent. The vast wealth of the super-rich is immensely disproportionate, with their fortunes being thousands of times larger than the income of the poorest individuals. This imbalance is evident in daily life, exemplified by the fact that corporate profits have more than doubled, and income generated from investments has outpaced income earned through work by two or three times. This scenario underscores the perpetual advantage held by the wealthy.