Affluent Materialists vs. Struggling Altruists in Times of Disaster

Affluent Materialists vs. Struggling Altruists in Times of Disaster

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In times of turmoil and strife, people seek the support and council of of fellow sufferers. The most recent example of this was on September 11th 2001, and the four years preceding, when the American people, regardless of their individual political and social agendas, banded together in a an impassioned and moving display of patriotism. Despite later revelations uncovering misguided and capitalist-driven ventures moving us towards a war that would shake the economy and the people’s faith in their country, we stood united under one common enemy, indivisible under one flag and well and truly proud to call ourselves American.

At least that’s what it appeared to be. But researchers from UC Berkeley, who published a paper online in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggest that it is easier for the affluent to find comfort in material possessions in times of trouble, contrary to the ‘have-nots’ who are more likely to reach out to one another in times of trouble.