Demonize and dehumanize, Part II
American society is designed to enable and empower monsters
Psychology can teach important lessons. For instance, higher-income people are more likely to be deceptive when it will benefit them, while poor people are more likely to lie when it will benefit others.1 What does this say about our species. Derek Rucker, a marketing professor, suggests an answer:
“Why does this happen?” Rucker asks. “Those high is social class, by definition, have more wealth and resources. They feel more empowered, and this psychological sense of empowerment leads them down the path of cheating to help themselves. Those who are low in social class do not feel empowered. They feel more communal and more dependent on others, which produces a willingness to help others, even when it involves behaving unethically.”
Let’s break that down further. Obscene wealth breeds certain mental patterns that result in clusters of common behavior by those who are super-wealthy. The ultra-wealthy (and powerful) often become obssessed with the accrual of more and more resources.2 A growi…
