jhuffman comments on A signaling theory of class x politics interaction - Less Wrong

53 Post author: Yvain 17 October 2011 06:49PM

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Comment author: jhuffman 17 October 2011 08:01:18PM *  18 points [-]

I can cite myself as an example. When I was a teenager working in a lowly McJob I was proud to earn $.25 more than many of my co-workers. When I'd heard the minimum wage was being raised from $4.25 to $5.15 I was a bit resentful that everyone was going to earn the same, even though it also meant I would earn more. It seems to me though that last place aversion explains this just as well as the signalling explanation.

Comment author: torekp 18 October 2011 01:23:38AM *  9 points [-]

Agreed, with this note: last place doesn't normally mean last in the whole country. Each person has a smallish reference group. Moreover, wealth rankings are fuzzy (unless you define a precise metric, in which case they're artificial). You need to have a clear advantage over someone in order not to be effectively tied for last.

Comment author: Fergus_Mackinnon 17 October 2011 09:00:37PM 3 points [-]

The two don't have to be mutually exclusive, although finding the share of responsibility might be difficult.