I am angry! I rail against the injustices in the world. Why don’t I act, strike you with blows, and try to incapacitate you? The reason, ultimately, is that it is pointless. All violence only begets more violence and in the end accomplishes nothing. It is only through dialogue that we move humanity forward. In every civilization, it is the written word and physical edifices that endure, not its destructive wars and killing of adversaries, though not all agree. (1)

Although for the most part, we no longer live in an age of kings and queens, we realize, as a population, that we are ranked in terms of social status, intellect, and moral standing. If we are fortunate enough to reside in the so-called middle class, we may have a greater chance of social mobility. But if we sit on the fringes, our path is virtually predetermined. In the extreme world of the highly intelligent and ultra-wealthy, there is little movement, even if their world collapses. You can think of the transcontinental marriages of the Gilded Age. Many people had no liquid assets, but, through marriage, were soon wealthy again. (1)