February 4, 2026
Equal vibes, empty wallets
The world is more equal than you think
Equal because everyone’s broke? Rent and rage say yes
TLDR: The Economist claims global inequality is shrinking, even as most average earners can’t afford rent. Commenters clap back, calling it “equality by downward slide,” roasting the metrics and blaming inflation and greed for squeezing the middle class—making this debate vital to anyone feeling poorer.
The Economist says the world’s getting more equal—yes, even as billionaires flex and prices soar. Their takeaway: global gaps are shrinking, but the average earner can’t afford rent in all but eight cities they checked. The comments? Pure fireworks.
andsoitis adds nuance: spending inequality inside countries tells a different story; the richest 10% have pulled away from the poorest 50% in Japan, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. aswegs8 brings receipts with an archive link.
RobotToaster swings in with Lenin’s roast—“The Economist… speaks for British millionaires”—then deadpans: the only thing that’s changed is inflation. lonespear goes full rant: ratios are a terrible measure; the ‘poor’ are being milked for basics—energy, food, insurance—and the middle class is waving goodbye. N_Lens sums it up: equality by downward slide, with rich-country middle classes converging toward poorer standards.
The humor got dark: “global equality speedrun,” “rent is the final boss,” and “we’re equal because we’re all broke.” The thread’s big fight is whether the story is global progress or local pain. Either way, the mood is clear: if equality means emptier wallets, nobody’s celebrating
Key Points
- •Despite record billionaire wealth and rising asset prices, the article states global inequality has declined in the 21st century.
- •Voters in rich countries perceive life as getting harder and more expensive, contrasting with the article’s global equality trend.
- •Average earners struggle to afford rent in most of the locations assessed, with only eight exceptions.
- •The article juxtaposes macro trends in global equality with micro-level affordability challenges.
- •The analysis aims to reconcile public perceptions with longer-term data on economic distribution.