Of the People

 

 

Income inequality is a hot topic these days, as we lament the growing gap between the have's and have-not's and consider what we can do at a local and national level to address this. To be sure, who we elect as President and what policies we push for in City Hall matter greatly, and we rightly focus our finite attention to advocacy there. But it seems a matter of personal integrity that our own life decisions line up with what we say we want societally.  

The thing about a society, at least a free and democratic one like the one we're lucky to have in this country, is that it is a messy compilation of individuals and households that have their own personal preferences as well as broader desires for the overall community they live in. I respect that, within reason, whatever someone wants to do, even if different from me, they are free to do. Indeed, that freedom and those differences are a critical aspect of what makes America special. So I do not begrudge any decision that someone makes for their own good, so long as it does not adversely affect me or others in a material way.

Yet, the accumulation of individual decisions does in fact sometimes result in systemic inequality. In fact, that is exactly how inequity works: it is a system that is bigger than all of us, and yet it is also a system that all of us are contributing to and influenced by. Systemic injustice may be a structural thing, for which we must take collective action. But it is also the sum of personal choices you and I make on a daily basis.

Let me give you an example. More resourced families, by definition, have more choices. If they all choose to live in one place and send their kids to schools in that place, that place will be well-resourced. Which is what most well-resourced families want. But that concentration of resources can come at the expense of those with fewer resources and options having less.

(You may argue, just to continue in this specific analogy, that that is why an important function of government is redistribution: tax the rich to provide services for the poor. But to me this feels inadequate, for it's more than just taking the well-off place's taxes to pay for nicer schools elsewhere. If rich kids only go to school with other rich kids, and poor kids only with other poor kids, didn't we have some pretty serious Supreme Court action condemning that as wrong?)

As a well-off person, I struggle with this on a number of dimensions, namely philosophically and what I personally want and what I want for my kids. I am as concerned as the next person that there is such a difference and divide in our country. But if I'm being honest, I personally enjoy the opportunities I am lucky to have, not just to enjoy nice things but to make intentional decisions that set myself apart from others:

* I take my kids to an outdoor pool club that only paying members have access to

* I enjoy the comfort and convenience of solo driving to the supermarket for groceries when others have to endure long bus rides and carry heavy bags

* I'm sure that when I take the kids to Disney next, I will pony up the extra dough to cut in front of others who have to wait in line

I do not feel guilty about doing these things, as I am entitled to spend my hard-earned money in ways that are practical and enjoyable. But they represent a tangible way I lean into my privileges and distance myself from others less fortunate, rather than forgo them or fight to level the opportunities so all can access them.

On a positive note, we have made major life choices so that are kids are exposed to a diversity of people and life circumstances. Where we live, where they go to school, and generally where we hang out are things we can control, and based on what we've decided to do as a family, we are fortunate to be exposed to a wonderful mix of walks of life. 

I am grateful that our kids' formative years are being shaped by this kind of diversity, which I hope builds in them open-mindedness and empathy and humility. I'm sure they too will contend with the same inner wrestlings as I have, to care about equity in our society, to want to work for it "out there," and to also know that part of working for it means having integrity in our own personal life choices.