{"id":1231,"date":"2011-01-06T08:39:35","date_gmt":"2011-01-06T06:39:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/?p=1231"},"modified":"2011-01-06T08:39:35","modified_gmt":"2011-01-06T06:39:35","slug":"%ce%b9%cf%83%cf%8c%cf%84%ce%b7%cf%84%ce%b1-%ce%bc%ce%b9%ce%b1-%ce%b1%ce%bb%ce%b7%ce%b8%ce%b9%ce%bd%ce%ae-%cf%84%cf%81%ce%bf%cf%86%ce%ae-%ce%b3%ce%b9%ce%b1-%cf%84%ce%b7%ce%bd-%cf%88%cf%85%cf%87%ce%ae","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/%ce%b9%cf%83%cf%8c%cf%84%ce%b7%cf%84%ce%b1-%ce%bc%ce%b9%ce%b1-%ce%b1%ce%bb%ce%b7%ce%b8%ce%b9%ce%bd%ce%ae-%cf%84%cf%81%ce%bf%cf%86%ce%ae-%ce%b3%ce%b9%ce%b1-%cf%84%ce%b7%ce%bd-%cf%88%cf%85%cf%87%ce%ae\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0399\u03c3\u03cc\u03c4\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1, \u03bc\u03b9\u03b1 \u03b1\u03bb\u03b7\u03b8\u03b9\u03bd\u03ae \u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u03ae \u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u03ae"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>\u039f Nicholas D. Kristof, \u03be\u03b5\u03ba\u03b9\u03bd\u03ac \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03c0\u03c1\u03c9\u03c4\u03bf\u03c7\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd\u03b9\u03ac\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03b7 \u03c3\u03c4\u03ae\u03bb\u03b7 \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd OpEd \u03c4\u03c9\u03bd New York Times<\/a>, \u03bc\u03b5 \u03c4\u03b1 \u03bb\u03cc\u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 John Steinbeck<\/p>\n

\u03bc\u03b9\u03b1 \u03b8\u03bb\u03b9\u03bc\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7 \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u03ae \u03bc\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03b5\u03af \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c3\u03b5 \u03c3\u03ba\u03bf\u03c4\u03ce\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9 \u03c0\u03b9\u03bf \u03b3\u03c1\u03ae\u03b3\u03bf\u03c1\u03b1, \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03cd \u03c0\u03b9\u03bf \u03b3\u03c1\u03ae\u03b3\u03bf\u03c1\u03b1, \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc \u03ad\u03bd\u03b1 \u03bc\u03b9\u03ba\u03c1\u03cc\u03b2\u03b9\u03bf.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u03a3\u03c5\u03bd\u03b5\u03c7\u03af\u03b6\u03b5\u03b9 \u03c4\u03bf \u03ac\u03c1\u03b8\u03c1\u03bf \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c4\u03bf \u03c0\u03ce\u03c2 \u03bf\u03b9 \u03b5\u03c0\u03b9\u03b4\u03b7\u03bc\u03b9\u03bf\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b9\u03ba\u03ad\u03c2 \u03bc\u03b5\u03bb\u03ad\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2 \u03b5\u03c0\u03b9\u03b2\u03b5\u03b2\u03b1\u03b9\u03ce\u03bd\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd \u03cc\u03c4\u03b9 \u03b7 \u03b1\u03bd\u03b9\u03c3\u03cc\u03c4\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1 \u03b5\u03c0\u03b9\u03b2\u03b1\u03c1\u03cd\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9 \u03cc\u03bb\u03b7 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03ba\u03bf\u03b9\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd\u03af\u03b1, \u03cc\u03c7\u03b9 \u03bc\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03bc\u03b7 \u03ad\u03c7\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2.<\/p>\n

\u0397 \u03b1\u03bd\u03b9\u03c3\u03cc\u03c4\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c5\u03c0\u03bf\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03b5\u03cd\u03b5\u03b9 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03ba\u03bf\u03b9\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae \u03b5\u03bc\u03c0\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03c3\u03cd\u03bd\u03b7 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03b6\u03c9\u03ae \u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 \u03ba\u03bf\u03b9\u03bd\u03cc\u03c4\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u03c2, \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03b2\u03c1\u03ce\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b9\u03c2 \u03ba\u03bf\u03b9\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd\u03af\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf \u03c3\u03cd\u03bd\u03bf\u03bb\u03cc \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2. \u03a4\u03bf \u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03b5\u03c2 \u03bf\u03b4\u03b7\u03b3\u03b5\u03af \u03c3\u03b5 \u03b2\u03b9\u03bf\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b9\u03ba\u03ad\u03c2 \u03b1\u03bb\u03bb\u03b1\u03b3\u03ad\u03c2, \u03bc\u03b5 \u03b1\u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03ad\u03bb\u03b5\u03c3\u03bc\u03b1 \u03b1\u03c3\u03b8\u03ad\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03b5\u03c2, \u03cc\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03ba\u03ad\u03c2 \u03c0\u03b1\u03b8\u03ae\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2, \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ba\u03bf\u03b9\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd\u03b9\u03ba\u03ad\u03c2 \u03b1\u03c3\u03b8\u03ad\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03b5\u03c2 \u03cc\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf \u03b2\u03af\u03b1\u03b9\u03bf \u03ad\u03b3\u03ba\u03bb\u03b7\u03bc\u03b1, \u03b1\u03bc\u03bf\u03b9\u03b2\u03b1\u03af\u03b1 \u03b4\u03c5\u03c3\u03c0\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03af\u03b1, \u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u03bf\u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u03b9\u03ba\u03ad\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c5\u03bc\u03c0\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03c6\u03bf\u03c1\u03ad\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b5\u03c0\u03af\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd\u03b7 \u03c6\u03c4\u03ce\u03c7\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1.<\/p>\n

\u03a4\u03bf \u03ac\u03c1\u03b8\u03c1\u03bf \u03b5\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03bc\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf \u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u0391\u03bc\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae, \u03b1\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac \u03bc\u03bf\u03b9\u03ac\u03b6\u03b5\u03b9 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03ac\u03bb\u03bb\u03b7\u03bb\u03bf \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 \u03b5\u03bc\u03ac\u03c2 \u03b5\u03b4\u03ce\u2026<\/p>\n

Equality, a True Soul Food<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

by Nicholas D. Kristof<\/span><\/p>\n

John Steinbeck observed that \u201ca sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker, than a germ.\u201d\u00a0 That insight, now confirmed by epidemiological studies, is worth bearing in mind at a time of such polarizing inequality that the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans possess a greater collective net worth than the bottom 90 percent.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s growing evidence that the toll of our stunning inequality is not just economic but also is a melancholy of the soul. The upshot appears to be high rates of violent crime, high narcotics use, high teenage birthrates and even high rates of heart disease.\u00a0 That\u2019s the argument of an important book <\/a>by two distinguished British epidemiologists, Richard Wilkinson<\/a> and Kate Pickett<\/a>. They argue that gross inequality tears at the human psyche, creating anxiety, distrust and an array of mental and physical ailments \u2014 and they cite mountains of data to support their argument.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you fail to avoid high inequality, you will need more prisons and more police,\u201d they assert. \u201cYou will have to deal with higher rates of mental illness, drug abuse and every other kind of problem.\u201d They explore these issues in their book, \u201cThe Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger.\u201d The heart of their argument is that humans are social animals and that in highly unequal societies those at the bottom suffer from a range of pathologies. For example, a long-term study of British civil servants found that messengers, doormen and others with low status were much more likely to die of heart disease, suicide and some cancers and had substantially worse overall health.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s similar evidence from other primates. For example, macaque monkeys are also highly social animals, and scientists put them in cages and taught them how to push a lever so that they could get cocaine. Those at the bottom of the monkey hierarchy took much more cocaine than high-status monkeys.\u00a0 Other experiments found that low-status monkeys suffered physical problems, including atherosclerosis in their arteries and an increase in abdominal fat. And as with monkeys, so with humans. Researchers have found that when people become unemployed or suffer economic setbacks, they gain weight. One 12-year study of American men found that when their income slipped, they gained an average of 5.5 pounds.<\/p>\n

The correlation is strong around the world between countries with greater inequality and greater drug use. Paradoxically, countries with more relaxed narcotics laws, like the Netherlands, have relatively low domestic drug use \u2014 perhaps because they are more egalitarian.\u00a0 Professors Wilkinson and Pickett crunch the numbers and show that the same relationship holds true for a range of social problems. Among rich countries, those that are more unequal appear to have more mental illness, infant mortality, obesity, high school dropouts, teenage births, homicides, and so on.<\/p>\n

They find the same thing is true among the 50 American states. More unequal states, like Mississippi and Louisiana, do poorly by these social measures. More equal states, like New Hampshire and Minnesota, do far better.\u00a0 So why is inequality so harmful? \u201cThe Spirit Level\u201d suggests that inequality undermines social trust and community life, corroding societies as a whole. It also suggests that humans, as social beings, become stressed when they find themselves at the bottom of a hierarchy.<\/p>\n

That stress leads to biological changes, such as the release of the hormone cortisol, and to the accumulation of abdominal fat (perhaps an evolutionary adaptation in preparation for starvation ahead?). The result is physical ailments like heart disease, and social ailments like violent crime, mutual distrust, self-destructive behaviors and persistent poverty. Another result is the establishment of alternative systems in which one can win respect and acquire self-esteem, such as gangs.<\/p>\n

Granted, humans are not all equal in ability: There will always be some who are more wealthy \u2014 and others who constitute the bottom. But inequality does not have to be as harsh, oppressive and polarized as it is in America today. Germany and Japan have attained modern, efficient economies with far less inequality than we have \u2014 and far fewer social problems. Likewise, the gap between rich and poor fell during the Clinton administration, according to data cited in \u201cThe Spirit Level,\u201d even though that was a period of economic vigor.<\/p>\n

\u201cInequality is divisive, and even small differences seem to make an important difference,\u201d Professors Wilkinson and Pickett note. They suggest that it is not just the poor who benefit from the social cohesion that comes with equality, but the entire society. So as we debate national policy in 2011 \u2014 from the estate tax to unemployment insurance to early childhood education \u2014 let\u2019s push to reduce the stunning levels of inequality in America today. These inequities seem profoundly unhealthy, for us and for our nation\u2019s soul.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u039f Nicholas D. Kristof, \u03be\u03b5\u03ba\u03b9\u03bd\u03ac \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03c0\u03c1\u03c9\u03c4\u03bf\u03c7\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd\u03b9\u03ac\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03b7 \u03c3\u03c4\u03ae\u03bb\u03b7 \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd OpEd \u03c4\u03c9\u03bd New York Times, \u03bc\u03b5 \u03c4\u03b1 \u03bb\u03cc\u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 John Steinbeck \u03bc\u03b9\u03b1 \u03b8\u03bb\u03b9\u03bc\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7 \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u03ae \u03bc\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03b5\u03af \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c3\u03b5 \u03c3\u03ba\u03bf\u03c4\u03ce\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9 \u03c0\u03b9\u03bf \u03b3\u03c1\u03ae\u03b3\u03bf\u03c1\u03b1, \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03cd \u03c0\u03b9\u03bf \u03b3\u03c1\u03ae\u03b3\u03bf\u03c1\u03b1, \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc \u03ad\u03bd\u03b1 \u03bc\u03b9\u03ba\u03c1\u03cc\u03b2\u03b9\u03bf. \u03a3\u03c5\u03bd\u03b5\u03c7\u03af\u03b6\u03b5\u03b9 \u03c4\u03bf \u03ac\u03c1\u03b8\u03c1\u03bf \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c4\u03bf \u03c0\u03ce\u03c2 \u03bf\u03b9 \u03b5\u03c0\u03b9\u03b4\u03b7\u03bc\u03b9\u03bf\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b9\u03ba\u03ad\u03c2 \u03bc\u03b5\u03bb\u03ad\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2 \u03b5\u03c0\u03b9\u03b2\u03b5\u03b2\u03b1\u03b9\u03ce\u03bd\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd \u03cc\u03c4\u03b9 \u03b7 \u03b1\u03bd\u03b9\u03c3\u03cc\u03c4\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1 \u03b5\u03c0\u03b9\u03b2\u03b1\u03c1\u03cd\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9 \u03cc\u03bb\u03b7 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03ba\u03bf\u03b9\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd\u03af\u03b1, \u03cc\u03c7\u03b9 […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-food-for-thought","category-8","category-15-id","category-8-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p12hmI-jR","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1231"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1233,"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1231\/revisions\/1233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/processworkhub.gr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}