The Cartier Woman - Coming to Colombia? |
Of course that's great news, and not only for those of us who trade in our diamond-studded watches every month: it'll also mean a few more jobs and more taxes paid, which hopefully will finance schools, parks and hospitals for those who don't shop at Cartier.
Not yet in the Cartier club: sock vendors on San Agustin Plaza. One told me that she earns about $6 on a good day. |
The violent and impoverished San Agustin neighborhood in central Bogotá. |
I couldn't find more specific data for Colombia, but here's a yardstick: in Sweden the 20% wealthiest people control 36% of the wealth. In the U.S., the richest 20% control about 84%. In Colombia, that number must be above 90%, leaving less than 10% of the wealth for the other 80% of Colombians. And for the poorest 20%, the numbers must be even more appalling: In the U.S., the poorest 20% control only 0.1% of wealth. It's hard to imagine an even more unjust wealth distribution, but Colombia has it.
Opulence among poverty is ugly and unjust. But, according to recent research, economic inequality degrades societies in many ways, including ones you'd never suspect. As inequality grows, social problems including drug abuse, obesity, mental health, imprisonment, social mobility, violence and teenage pregnancies all get worse, according to the 2009 book The Spirit Level.
Worlds Apart: A slum climbs up he hill beside Los Andes University's newest building, left, named after billionare Julio Mario Santo Domingo. |
The Santos watch. Satin and sapphire crystals for not much over $4,000. Luxury is now within everyone's reach! |
"People start there and then move to the high-price items," he said.
Start saving up!
On the other hand, what use is a $4,000 watch, especially in Colombia, where taking out a cellphone in public can be dangerous? Certainly not for wearing on the street, where it won't last long, or for wearing at home in the mansion, which is full of clocks and where everybody knows you're rich, anyway.
A $4,000 watch is for showing off and glancing at conspicuously and repeatedly at ritzy events with other important people.
Things like this only perpetuate and intensify the isolation of the wealthy from the rest of Colombians by giving them another reason to hide from the masses who get by without such basic necessities as Cartier watches and jewels.
What can Colombia do to address this social chasm? One thing is tax the hell out of luxuries, and use them to create quality common spaces and resources for all Colombians, such as parks, hospitals and schools.
By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours
1 comment:
I have seen that every person wants to express their feelings but they are not able to express their feelings properly in words but the content you have written in your post is very beautiful, it seems that you have expressed your feelings Has expressed. Hi, you are a person who writes a very beautiful post, in the same way, you keep writing new posts in your life, our best wishes are with you.
Call Girls In Sector 29
Haryana Call Girls
Escorts Service In Manesar
gurugram meeting girl
bikini girls in gurugram
Escorts Service In Sector 58
Call Girls In DLF Phase 2
escort service in gurugram
Gurugram Russian Escorts
Sector 24 Escorts
Post a Comment