James Heckman on Inequality and Economic Mobility

In 'The Instinct of Workmanship and the State of the Industrial Arts', Thorstein Veblen explores the relationship between human instincts and the evolution of industrial practices. He argues that technological advancements are shaped by innate human behaviors and societal structures. The book contrasts technological institutions with pecuniary ones, highlighting Veblen's dichotomy between making goods and making money.

Written in 1931 and published in 1932, 'Brave New World' is a dystopian novel set in a futuristic World State where humans are bred in vitro and predestined into a rigid social hierarchy. The novel explores themes of technological advancement, social conditioning, and the loss of individuality and freedom. The story revolves around characters such as Bernard Marx, an Alpha who questions the society, Mustapha Mond, the World Controller, and John, a 'Savage' from a reservation who introduces elements of emotion and individuality into the highly controlled World State. The novel critiques the optimism of technological progress and its potential to create a society that values stability and happiness over humanity and freedom[2][4][5].