How far the power of others reaches within us is a big question mark. Even more so when we consider that a significant part of this influence began even before we were born. Our ancestors formed a world construction. In it they set out their beliefs and values. At birth we inherited the influence of this unfinished work, with its beauties and flaws. And every day we have the opportunity to turn that into our brief visit here.
This continuous transformation process claims to be one of its driving forces. Understanding how our will is forged makes it possible to expand understanding not only in relation to those around us, but also to ourselves. In addition, it is relevant knowledge for us to take public actions that have a positive impact on the lives of the most disadvantaged. Fortunately, researchers from various fields of knowledge have been dealing with this topic for some time.
In the book Understanding Poverty, organized by Abhijit Banerjee, 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, there is an interesting chapter devoted to discussing the emergence of aspirations and their role in human behavior. Written by University of New York professor Debraj Ray, The Economist draws on the work of anthropologist Arjun Appadurai to describe a set of factors that shape our desires. Among these stand out the lives, achievements and ideals of those with whom we come into contact.
A significant part of our striving is therefore socially determined. Individual wishes arise from experience and observation. We use our colleagues to make comparisons. In this scenario, it is natural to strive for better living conditions. Depending on the moment of our career and social position, the wills change or complement each other.
The most disadvantaged tend to strive for greater dignity.
Those who are content with basic material needs, on the other hand, tend to increase recognition, visibility and, in certain cases, political power. And not infrequently there are also those who want to dominate others for religious or ethnic reasons.
What would guide anticipatory behavior in this context? Debraj Ray argues that what matters is not the entitlements per se, but the entitlement gap, the difference between the standard of living one aspires to and the standard of living one already has. This gap would be a kind of measure of how far we want to go.
However, a very large or small gap in entitlement can negatively impact individual efforts. The explanation is simple.
If our standard of living is what we aspire to, we have little incentive to raise the bar. The behavior of part of the Brazilian elite, for example, helps illustrate this case. However, when the standard is very far away, every single investment only gets us part of the way.
This theoretical scenario has an important economic implication. Working on the aspirations of each segment of society can lead to a boost in individual development.
However, there is another possible negative effect. If we expand the demands of the population too much, we also risk generating widespread frustration.
When living standards fail to keep up with changing expectations, social tensions can escalate and have destructive and eventually violent political consequences. The French Revolution is an example. According to the thinker Alexis de Tocqueville: “The French found their position the more unbearable the better it got”.
The lyrics are a tribute to the song “My Children, My Treasure” by Jorge Ben Jor.