This is what inequality looks like – you are at the bottom rung and its obvious how different it is at different rungs of the ladder. Professor Teo You Yenn interviewed many people to ask them. She asked them what they thought they suffered because of their unequal circumstances. At least two people said it was experiencing bedbugs and cold showers because of poverty. Then Prof. Teo related this finding to other interviewees and it struck a common chord with them. Some too have experienced bed bugs and cold showers too. By affirming these experiences, the latter people made it seem insignificant or commonplace.
My personal experience of inequality was inability to pay for my tertiary education because I lacked money and couldn’t get a student loan. My cohorts surged ahead with parent paid university education or sponsored scholarships. I wasn’t good enough so I didn’t merit a university education. I lacked other skills to market myself to better paying jobs. I took what was offered and survived.
This post will be updated soon.
Reference
Teo You Yenn. (2019). This Is What Inequality Looks Like. Ethos Books: Singapore.
