Discriminatory Practices

First Globals™ are the most likely of any generation to believe that employers who discriminate in employee hiring will be punished by the market, with 34.1% of First Globals strongly or somewhat agreeing with the above statement. The percentages of those agreeing with this statement declines as the age group increases, with only 23.7% of those over 65 strongly or somewhat agreeing that employers who discriminate in employee hiring will be punished by the market.

Why do you think young people have more confidence that the market will punish discriminatory employees? Do you agree with those who believe this is true? And if it is true, would it mean that affirmative action in hiring employees is unnecessary because the market would punish a discriminatory firm?

Show Me the Money

How do rich people become rich? First Globals are the most likely of any generation to believe that rich people were born wealthy. Nearly two thirds (63.3%) of First Globals strongly or somewhat agree that “in the USA, more often than not, rich people were born rich.” By contrast, only 34.9% of those over 65 feel the same way, with other generations falling in the middle.

Economic mobility – the ability to go from poor to rich within one’s lifetime – is often held up as one of the ideals of the U.S. as well as one of the things that (supposedly) makes us different from other countries. But it seems that First Globals are less likely to believe that economic mobility is the primary reason why rich people are rich. Why might that be? And how do you think most wealthy people come by their money?

Kicking the Bucket

Do you believe death is a grim experience? If you do, you’re not alone. First Globals are the most likely to believe that death is a grim experience, with 51.5% of First Globals strongly or somewhat agreeing with this statement. But surprisingly, only 34.9% of those over 65 strongly or somewhat agreed that death is a grim experience. Other generations fall in between First Globals and those over 65.

Given that people over 65 are likely to be closer to their own death than younger people, why are younger people more likely to say death is a grim experience? Do you think people become more accepting and less scared of death as they grow older?