The Gray Area with Sean Illing Best of: Robert Sapolsky on the toxic intersection of poverty and stress
Dec 10, 2020
Robert Sapolsky, a Stanford neuroscientist and primatologist, dives into the brutal link between poverty and chronic stress. He explains how stress evolved for immediate threats but now cripples modern humans, especially those in socioeconomic hardships. The discussion highlights how poverty exacerbates mental challenges, undermines cognitive function, and entraps communities in a cycle of despair. Furthermore, Sapolsky critiques policies that neglect these issues, advocating for a deeper understanding of the interplay between stress, decision-making, and social support.
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Human Stress
- Stress in humans can be psychological and chronic, unlike animals.
- Humans can activate the same stress response for a mortgage as for physical danger.
Chronic Stress Effects
- Chronic stress responses for non-physical stressors are harmful.
- Activating a stress response while sitting in traffic offers no benefit and causes damage.
Poverty's Impact
- Primate hierarchies cause stress, but human poverty is uniquely damaging.
- Socioeconomic status consistently impacts health, regardless of societal structure.
