May 27, 2019
The global poverty rate has fallen significantly over the last few decades. But there’s a heated debate between people like psychologist Steven Pinker and anthropologist Jason Hickel, over how to view that fact. Is it a triumph for capitalism? Should we celebrate it, or lament the fact that rich countries aren’t doing more to close the poverty gap faster? Vox journalist Dylan Matthews explains the disagreement. He and Julia discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each side’s argument.
Links
- Dylan’s Vox article explaining the debate over the falling global poverty rate
- Jason Hickel responds to Dylan’s article
- Our World in Data responds to the critique of the poverty estimates
- Dylan’s past Rationally Speaking episode on kidney donation
- Future Perfect podcast
- Scott Alexander’s blog post on Conflict Theory vs. Mistake Theory
- John Nerst’s analysis of the disagreement between Ezra Klein and Sam Harris over IQ and race, through the lens of decouplers vs. non-decouplers
- “Reasons and Persons” by Derek Parfit
- “Gang of Five: Leaders at the Center of the Conservative Crusade” by Nina Easton