We're number 1(00)!!

According to the CIA, we're the 41st most unequal country in the world. The Gini index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the lower its Gini index, e.g., a Scandinavian country with an index of 25. The more unequal a country's income distribution, the higher its Gini index, e.g., a Sub-Saharan country with an index of 50. If income were distributed with perfect equality the index would be zero; if income were distributed with perfect inequality, the index would be 100.GINI

The Gini Index in the US is 45. We're less equal than the Philippines, Cameroon, Iran, Russia, and Nigeria (just to name a few).

Here's the world's ten most equal countries (the lower the Gini Index number the better)

Rank Country Gini Index

131Finland 26.8

132Austria 26.3

133Slovakia 26.0

134Luxembourg 26.0

135Norway 25.0

136Czech Republic 24.9

137Denmark 24.8

138Hungary 24.7

139Montenegro 24.3

140Slovenia 23.7

141Sweden 23.0

Source CIA World Factbook

And here's the world's least equal countries

Rank Country Gini Index

1Lesotho63.2

2South Africa 63.1

3Botswana 63.0

4Sierra Leone 62.9

5Central African Republic 61.3

6Namibia 59.7

7Haiti 59.2

8Honduras 57.7

9Zambia 57.5

10Colombia 55.9

Here's the US

41United States 45.0

OUCH!

Here's a couple of questions I'll ask my students:

Describe inequality in your life. Do you think it impacts your life?

Do you come out on the good side or the bad side of inequality? Is there a good side?

How would the US change if we were suddenly one of the most equal countries instead of one of the least equal?

What are some causes of inequality in the US? In the world?

What are some things the government could do about inequality? (why doesn't it do more?)

What are some things you could do about inequality? (why don't you do more?)

What are some consequences of American inequality?

According to the philosopher John Rawls, the best measure of a just society is whether you’d be willing to be thrown in at random. If you didn't know whether you would end up rich or poor, would you be willing to be thrown into the US randomly?

You won't believe this video. My students didn't! Here's a whole inequality lesson for you.

I'd love to hear your comments!

Diversity

As a country we are made up of many different people.

As individuals, we are made up of many different parts.

Rank the following list in order of how important each is in defining you (1=most important, 8=least important)

• Geography (urban/suburban/rural/north/south/west)

• Race/Ethnicity

• Gender

• Sexual Orientation

• Religion

• Income level

• Age

• Education

Rank the following list in order of how important each is in defining the country (1=most important, 8=least important)

• Geography (urban/suburban/rural/north/south/west)

• Race/Ethnicity

• Gender

• Sexual Orientation

• Religion

• Income level

• Age

• Education

Here's your assignment: Make a facebook profile for the average American using the categories above.

Here is some data on the average American that might help you construct your own exceptionally average American. Feel free to add any interesting data you find to your Facebook creation.

• Geography (urban/suburban/rural/The/south/west) - California is the most populous state. Most Americans live in suburbs (50%). The South is the most populous region in the US. The mean population center of the US is in Missouri.

• Race/Ethnicity - Most Americans are White

• Gender - sex ratios- at birth: 1.048 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est. from CIA World Factbook)

• Sexual Orientation

• Religion - The majority of Americans are Protestant (51.3%)

• Income level - median income - $32,140 for persons age 25 and older (2005 from US Census Bureau)

• Age - median age 36.8 years (male: 35.5 years, female: 38.1 years, 2010 est. from CIA World Factbook)

• Education

  High school graduate86.68%

  Some college55.60%

  Associate's and/or Bachelor's degree38.54%

  Master's degree7.62%

  Doctorate or professional degree2.94%

  In 2005, the proportion of the population having finished high school and the percentage of those having earned Bachelor's degrees remained at an all-time high, while the growth in both categories has slowed down over the past two decades. The vast majority of the population, 85.2%, had finished high school and nearly a quarter, 22%, had earned a Bachelor's degree. The percentage of both college and high school graduates continued to increase since 2000. Since 1983 the percentage of people graduating from high school has increased from 85% to 88%. The greatest increases in educational attainment were documented in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. In the 1950s and much of the 1960s high school graduates constituted about 50% of those considered adults (25 and above). For young adults aged between 25 and 29, the percentage of high school graduates was roughly 50% in 1950 versus 90% today.

Top US baby names: Social Security Administration

Top US job: retail salesperson

What about weight???

• The average American woman is 5'4" tall and weighs 140 pounds.

• The average American female model is 5'11" tall and weighs 117 pounds.

Top US dog: Labrador Retriever

Duh!

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Some questions:

1. What does diversity mean to you?

2. How diverse is the US?

3. Describe what the average American looks like:

4. Is there such thing as an American race or ethnicity? Is that good?

5. What questions do you have about diversity and the US?

Bowling Alone

Did you know that most Americans don't know their neighbors by name? And surveys reveal that today most Americans don't even trust one another. As life has become more isolated, rushed, and competitive, the institutions that once united us have failed, and our society has become disunited.

This free unit of creative lessons surveys, readings, and interactive project will help your students build social capital while they explore and engage in their community.

Here's some questions they'll encounter

·      Do people in your neighborhood interact?

·      In what ways is your life better because of connections to other people?

·      Imagine life in your community without cars.

·      How many times a week do you eat with your family?

·      Is technology driving a wedge between our individual and collective interests?

·      Does technology separate us or bring us together?

·      Have you ever gotten a job without knowing someone involved in the job?

·      Are virtual Connections as valuable as face to face?

·      Is the pace of life in the US too fast, slow, or just right?

·      “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main” Is John Donne correct? Can a person be an island?

Take a few days or a few weeks to use these lessons to explore our society and your community with your students. When you're done, they'll have news lenses to view their lives and those around them.

Use the button below to download the form for your Commonweal Proposal for building social capital right in your community!

When your done, submit your proposal to us at commonweallab@gmail.com

We'll evaluate your proposal and post the best ones on the Commonweal site.