"The Reason That The Rich Were So Rich": Someone Tells A Story About "Boots" To Show How Expensive It Is To Be Poor Bored Panda Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app Continue in app Continue in browser Like what you're reading? Subscribe to our top stories Please enter email address By submitting email you agree to get Bored Panda newsletter. We respect your privacy. We will not publish or share your email address in any way. Almost finished... To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. Almost finished... To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. Are you leaving already? Are you sure you want to post this? We're asking people to rethink comments that seem similar to others that have been reported or downvoted this warning is a mistake x x Let's fight boredom together! Continue with Facebook Continue with Google or Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Forgot your password? Creating an account means you agree with Bored Panda's Terms of Service 0, text: error()"> Become a member Sign Up Have an account? Login Forgot your password? Creating an account means you agree with Bored Panda's Terms of Service 0, text: error(), css: errorCssClass"> Password reminder Please provide your email address and we will send your password shortly. Send Have an account? Login Don't have an account? Sign Up Get our top 10 stories in your inbox: Finish 0, text: error(), css: errorCssClass"> Please enter your email to complete registration Finish 0, text: error(), css: errorCssClass"> Activate to continue Your account is not active. We have sent an email to the address you provided with an activation link. Check your inbox, and click on the link to activate your account. I have already activated my account Resend activation link We and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our site to personalize content and ads, provide social media features, and analyze our traffic. You can read more about it and change your preferences here. Agree Bored Panda iOS App Available on App Store Continue in App Bored Panda Android App Available on Google Play Continue in App By using our services you agree to our use of cookies to improve your visit. You can change your preferences here. Agree BoredPanda Login Add Post Search ArtPhotographyAnimalsFunnyTravelIllustrationComicsDIYGood NewsParentingChallengeAsk Pandas More Featured Trending Latest Newsletter The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here. Bored Panda “ The Reason That The Rich Were So Rich” Someone Tells A Story About “ Boots” To Show How Expensive It Is To Be Poor Home Partnership Advertise Success stories Jobs About us Contact 104points 2.4K Social Issues8 months ago

“ The Reason That The Rich Were So Rich” Someone Tells A Story About “ Boots” To Show How Expensive It Is To Be Poor

Ieva Gailiūtė and
Justinas Keturka
Today, millions of people who live in poverty know the one inescapable fact about their situation-it's expensive being poor. While this saying may seem counterintuitive at first, it does make a lot of sense. Compared to those who live in comfort, underprivileged people often have to spend more money just to survive. Terry Pratchett, an English fantasy writer, had a great observation for one of the many reasons why it's more costly to be poor than to be wealthy. Although the author is no longer with us, his work still gets shared on his official Twitter account. In a recent post, Pratchett's estate tweeted the "Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness" from his 1993 book "Men At Arms." The theory comes from a simple piece of dialogue where Vimes, who was born into poverty and became a member of the nobility, observes the habits of the rich. He explained that one reason the rich keep getting richer "was because they managed to spend less money". Read on for the full story.

Author Terry Pratchett s story about two pairs of boots explains how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer

Image credits: Elvert Barnes (not the actual photo) Image credits: terryandrob Image credits: terryandrob Image credits: terryandrob Image credits: terryandrob Image credits: terryandrob While Terry Pratchett's work can transport us into a magical world, it also carries insightful views of the class divide and social injustice. According to Guardian, the Pratchett estate tweeted this quote in support of Jack Monroe's campaign to draw up an inflation index to track basic food prices. Monroe, a British food writer, journalist, and activist, has "used the idea drawn from Discworld novels to register the disproportionate effect price rises have on the lower-paid" and called it the "Vimes Boots Index". It all started when she heard on the radio that the "cost of living is rising a further 5%." She tweeted that the index that's used for this calculation "grossly underestimates the real cost of inflation as it happens to people with the least." "The system by which we measure the impact of inflation is fundamentally flawed-it completely ignores the reality and the REAL price rises for people on minimum wages, zero-hour contracts, food bank clients, and millions more," she added. So the activist compiled a new price index that is meant to "document the disappearance of the budget lines and the insidiously creeping prices of the most basic versions of essential items at the supermarket." And, at the very least, would show the reality millions of people face every day. Later on, Jack Monroe shared that the "Vimes Boots Index" already started to make a difference: "Delighted to be able to tell you that the ONS [Office for National Statistics] have just announced that they are going to be changing the way they collect and report on the cost of food prices and inflation to take into consideration a wider range of income levels and household circumstances." Terry Pratchett's daughter, writer Rhianna Pratchett, said her father would have been proud to see his work used in this way by the anti-poverty campaigner. "My father used his anger about inequality, classism, xenophobia and bigotry to help power the moral core of his work," she said. "One of his most famous lightning-rods for this was Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch-a cynical, but likable, man who attempts to better himself whilst railing against the injustices around him. Some of which he's had a hand in perpetrating in the past." Rhianna Pratchett continued: "Vimes's musing on how expensive it is to be poor via the cost of boots was a razor-sharp evaluation of socio-economic unfairness. And one that's all too pertinent today, where our most vulnerable so often bear the brunt of austerity measures and are cast adrift from protection and empathy."

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Image credits: sandyjinnes Image credits: Engine_of_Ideas Image credits: StevenLHughes Image credits: Europa_Unitum Image credits: DorindaDorinda Image credits: Arteta_tete Image credits: emwraw Image credits: PHeadgirl Image credits: vexwerewolf Image credits: JeffR232 Image credits: PeteTheRef Image credits: nungmi1 Image credits: induslkj Image credits: ladywyyn Image credits: susen366 Image credits: VoiceOfKosh Image credits: Rachel66E Image credits: arobill3 Image credits: pandamerv Image credits: frindley Image credits: www.facebook.com Image credits: www.facebook.com Image credits: www.facebook.com Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing! Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Share on Facebook Ieva Gailiūtė Ieva Gailiūtė Writer, BoredPanda staff Ieva is a writer at Bored Panda who graduated in Scandinavian studies from Vilnius University. After learning the Swedish language and getting completely lost in the world of Scandinavian mythology, she figured out that translating and writing is what she's passionate about. When not writing, Ieva enjoys making jewelry, going on hikes, reading and drinking coffee. Read more » Justinas Keturka Justinas Keturka Author, BoredPanda staff Justin is a photo editor at Bored Panda. He was fascinated with visual arts and arts in general for as long as he can remember. He was obsessed with playing and making music in his teens. After finishing high school, he took a gap year to work odd jobs and try to figure out what he wanted to do next. Finally, around 2016, he started learning how to use Photoshop and hasn't stopped since. He started working as a visual advertisement producer in 2017 and worked there for almost two years. In his spare time, he creates graphic collages and even had his first artwork exhibition at "Devilstone". Read more » Show All Contributors Get the latest inspiring stories via our awesome iOS app! Download Bored Panda app! 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I love Terry Pratchett’s work and he actually brings up a bunch of issues like this in Guards! Guards! Plus the Hedgehog Song is iconic. 18 18points reply Leo Domitrix Leo Domitrix Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago Now I want to see them post Nanny Ogg's advice for a happy life ;-P 10 10points reply Load More Replies... Robert T Robert T Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago RIP Sir Terry. We miss you! 15 15points reply Jenn C Jenn C Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago GNU 3 3points reply Load More Replies... Jef Bateman Jef Bateman Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago When I was poor I spent a large amount of money keeping junky cars on the road. I was in a situation where I would be out of a job if my car completely died (pizza delivery), so I was always patching it up. Now that I can afford a good car, it costs me less money to keep it going. Another example of how being poor is expensive. 13 13points reply yellowphantom yellowphantom Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago I sold a car once with 160,000 miles on it, for $6000, bought a brand new one for $25,000, and my insurance payment went DOWN a little because the new car had more safety features. At that time, I could afford a new car. Many people can't, have to drive older models, and pay more in insurance because of it. 0 0points reply Load More Replies... cugel cugel Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago Might work if you drive a lot. Otherwise, cheapest jalopy, zero maintainence, fix only the most serious issues, walk, bike and bus whenever possible will still be cheaper. I've driven the cruddiest heaps for 10-15 years. -3 -3points reply Load More Comments POST Scarlett Scarlett Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago Yes! I love Terry Pratchett’s work and he actually brings up a bunch of issues like this in Guards! Guards! Plus the Hedgehog Song is iconic. 18 18points reply Leo Domitrix Leo Domitrix Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago Now I want to see them post Nanny Ogg's advice for a happy life ;-P 10 10points reply Load More Replies... Robert T Robert T Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago RIP Sir Terry. We miss you! 15 15points reply Jenn C Jenn C Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago GNU 3 3points reply Load More Replies... Jef Bateman Jef Bateman Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago When I was poor I spent a large amount of money keeping junky cars on the road. I was in a situation where I would be out of a job if my car completely died (pizza delivery), so I was always patching it up. Now that I can afford a good car, it costs me less money to keep it going. Another example of how being poor is expensive. 13 13points reply yellowphantom yellowphantom Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago I sold a car once with 160,000 miles on it, for $6000, bought a brand new one for $25,000, and my insurance payment went DOWN a little because the new car had more safety features. At that time, I could afford a new car. Many people can't, have to drive older models, and pay more in insurance because of it. 0 0points reply Load More Replies... cugel cugel Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 8 months ago Might work if you drive a lot. Otherwise, cheapest jalopy, zero maintainence, fix only the most serious issues, walk, bike and bus whenever possible will still be cheaper. I've driven the cruddiest heaps for 10-15 years. -3 -3points reply Load More Comments Popular on Bored Panda I Used AI To See What These 23 Popular Cartoon Characters Would Look Like In Real Life 30 Y.O. 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