Barry's Economics

This is the only comedian in the world who has actually changed tax law. (as far as I know)Not highlighted it - Changed it. With jokes, a mahogany buffet, and a few hundred letters from members of the public.On Barry's Economics, we spend a lot of time talking about what needs to change; inequality, taxation, who owns what, who decides what. Mark Thomas spent decades actually doing it.This conversation is about how change works. Not in theory but in practice.And it starts with the most powerful weapon the people who benefit from inequality have - the belief that nothing can change. Mark Thomas is proof that belief is wrong.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and leave a review for future episodes!Mailing List: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/barryseconomics.bsky.socialIf you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Every Political and Economic debate about poverty and inequality goes the same way. Left says redistribute. Right says grow grow grow. Round and round.Why is it so endlessly circular - and why does nothing ever actually get fixed? One reason could be that there's an entire category of evidence that never makes it into the roomWe account for bias in medicine, law, and aviation. We just don't do it in economic policy. This video is about why that has to change.Sources mentioned:Keltner, D. - The Power ParadoxKraus, M.W. et al. - Social class, solipsism, and contextualismMirror neuron / wealth research - Sukvinder ObhiI’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!Mailing List: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

We often treat extremely wealthy individuals as if they have a deeper understanding of how the world works.But there is a structural reason to question that assumption.As wealth increases, people become less exposed to many of the constraints and trade-offs that shape everyday life.Research in behavioural science suggests that people rely heavily on their own experience when forming judgments.At the same time, studies on power indicate that increased influence can change how people interpret others and the world around them.This episode looks at the neuroscience of power, the psychology of wealth, and why the people we treat as authoritative voices may be working from a very different version of reality.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and leave a review for future videos!Sign-up to mailing list: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Everyone has a take on the manosphere.This isn't one of them.Because the debate you've been watching - the one about men, women, masculinity, feminism, Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson - isn't actually about any of those things.It's about something else entirely. Something far more boring and far more profitable.The science on this is extraordinary. And nobody is talking about it.Research and sources in this video:Naomi Eisenberger, UCLA, social exclusion and physical painHenri Tajfel, group identity, tribalism and prejudiceNYU Center for Social Media and Politic, algorithmic radicalisation on YouTubeMolly Crockett, Nature Human Behaviour (2017), moral outrage and social media amplificationDaniel Kahneman, System 1 and System 2 thinkingAnne Case and Angus Deaton, Princeton, Deaths of DespairLink 1 - Henri Tajfelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciSx1EG4V0sLink 2 - Molly Crockethttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRAfcpPpXrgLink 3 - Anne Case and Angus Deatonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX9k4s_UWiU&t=320sLink 4 - Daniel Kahnemannhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PirFrDVRBo4&t=195sI’m Barry Ferns, a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and leave a review for future episodes!Mailing List: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first! His channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

You live in the wealthiest civilisation in human history. And yet - it's not enough, right?That's not a character flaw. It's the system working exactly as designed.This video is about what happens when the right answer becomes the wrong one. And why the neuroscience, the psychology, and the data all say the same thing: beyond a certain point, growth stops converting into wellbeing. That's not a side effect. It's the whole business model.Covering: dopamine and the wanting brain (Robert Sapolsky), the Easterlin Paradox, Maslows hierarchy, Tim Kasser on materialist values, Csikszentmihalyi's research, and Seligman's PERMA model. All peer-reviewed. All explained without the jargon.This isn't an argument against ambition. It's an argument for a better kind of it.I’m Barry Ferns, a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and leave a review for episodes! Join my mailing list: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first as his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

The Science Used to Control Your Behaviour....Last week I posted a video abotu Diary of a CEO that got 250,000 views in two days. Last Month I posted a video that now has HALF A MILLION VIEWSAnd the first thing my brain did was whisper: do it again.This video is about the business model of every major social media platform on earth and what that does to viewers (your scroll is not random), what it does to creators should terrify anyone who makes videos on here, and the neuroscience of why the people most at risk of being changed by the algorithm are exactly the people experiencing the most success.Plus: why I'm posting this video anyway.Sources & research referenced:Skinner, B.F. variable-ratio reinforcement (1938)Tamir & Mitchell, Harvard, the neuroscience of self-disclosure, PNAS (2012)Phil Reed, Swansea University, dopamine and drift detectionHogeveen, Inzlicht & Obhi, power and empathy, Journal of Experimental Psychology (2014)Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009)Piketty, Capital in the Twenty-First Century (2013)I’m Barry Ferns, a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and and leave a review for future episodes!Mailing List: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first. His channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Diary Of A CEO podcast has 50 million listeners. Any of these Success podcasts - the Steven Bartlett or Chris Williamson types all promise you the secrets, strategies and frameworks of the world's most successful people. How to be Successful.Here's the problem: The science says it can't deliver on that promise. And not only that - if you look closely you can see that the business model shows that it was never designed to.This episode isn't about tearing down Steven Bartlett. It's about a structural problem with how success is sold to us - it's about Survivorship Bias, The Dunning Kruger effect, and why the most popular podcasts about success might be the very things standing between you and actually achieving it.Covered in this video:1- Philip Tetlock's 20-year study of 284 experts and 82,361 predictions — and what it reveals about confident people with frameworks2 - The Dunning-Kruger Effect and why the loudest voices are often the least informed3 - Duncan Watts' MusicLab experiment: 14,341 participants, and what it proves about how random success actually is4 - Benjamin Libet's neuroscience research on decision-making — and why successful people genuinely can't tell you how they succeeded5 - Survivorship bias, Abraham Wald, and why studying winners teaches you almost nothing6 - The business model that needs you to stay anxious, keep consuming, and never quite arriveThe Special Sauce doesn't exist. But there's a lot of money in making you believe it does.Sources referenced:Tetlock, P. - Expert Political Judgment, 2005Kruger, J. & Dunning, D. - Unskilled and Unaware of It, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1999Watts, D. - MusicLab experiment, Science, 2006Libet, B. - Unconscious cerebral initiative, Brain, 1983Soon, C.S. et al. - Unconscious determinants of free decisions, Nature Neuroscience, 2008I’m Barry Ferns is a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and leave a review for future episodes! Join my mailing list: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Everyone is arguing about whether the war on Iran was justified.That might not be the most important question.The deeper question is what happens when powerful actors publicly demonstrate that the rules of the international system don’t apply to them.Rules can feel frustrating. They slow decisions down and constrain power. But they also play a critical role in stabilising cooperation between societies.Research across neuroscience, psychology, political science and economics suggests that when people stop believing rules apply equally, something deeper begins to happen.Trust erodes.Cooperation breaks down.And societies become more vulnerable to polarisation and authoritarian politics.This episode looks at the research behind that process and why the psychological consequences of rule breaking may be one of the most important and least discussed dynamics in geopolitics right now.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and leave a review for future videos! Mailing List: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

The people who built social media often don't let their own children use it.These aren't worried parents who don't understand the technology.They're the engineers and executives who built the platforms and saw the internal data.And many of them made the same decision.Not my kids.So why isn't that the end of the argument?This episode looks at why that fact keeps getting ignored while the debate focuses on parental choice, free speech, and whether the harm is "proven enough".It also looks at the bias blind spot, the Facebook experiment on 700,000 users, and why the real problem might not be social media itself but the incentives driving the industry.If this episode was useful- consider following or reviewing the podcast - this channel doesn't take sponsorships or do brand deals.Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/BarrysEconomicsYou can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Why does the system feel too big to fight?In this final episode of the Epstein Economy series, Barry explores the neuroscience of learned helplessness.Featuring research from:– Maier & Seligman– Damon Centola– Christakis & FowlerLarge systems don’t just concentrate wealth.They concentrate perceived power.But your brain may be underestimating how much influence coordinated action actually has.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future episodes! Join my mailing list: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

This video is about the gap between - what you feel about Epstein and what you feel about other, bigger news stories - and why it's not a moral failure. It's neuroscience.Featuring research from Paul Slovic (psychic numbing),Robin Dunbar (the Social Brain Hypothesis), Siddharth Kara (cobalt mining), and Shoshana Zuboff.This is the third video in the series. The first two:1 - Your Brain Won't Let You See What Epstein Really Was — https://youtu.be/sS33crOQvrM2 - Epstein Isn't an Aberration. He's an Inevitable Outcome — https://youtu.be/b1vFgUi4frUSupport this channel to help it become cost neutral and continue:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicshttps://ko-fi.com/barryseconomicshttps://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsGet first dibs on live shows:▸ Mailing list - www.barryferns.co.uk▸ Instagram — @barrybarryfernsI’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality and obsessed abotu the things that really influence our actions and livesThis channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Follow and Subscribe for future videos!You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out @garyseconomics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Why are we so addicted to hunting monsters - and what does that addiction protect?In this video, I explore the neuroscience and psychology behind our obsession with the Epstein scandal. And how the structure that created Epstein remains invisibleThis is part 2 of a series. Part 1: "Epstein Isn't an Aberration. He's an Inevitable Outcome" Part 3 coming next Sunday.Research Discussed in Episode:de Quervain et al. (2004) "The Neural Basis of Altruistic Punishment" , ScienceChester & DeWall (2016) Retaliatory aggression and the reward network, Social Cognitive and Affective NeuroscienceGoudarzi et al. (2020) Economic system justification and numbing to inequality in Nature CommunicationsVaughan, D. (1996) The Challenger Launch Decision: Normalisation of Deviance, University of Chicago PressLeach et al. (2025) Moral outrage, virality and petition signing, Social Psychological and Personality ScienceOxfam Inequality Report (2026)I'm Barry Ferns. Comedian, founder of Angel Comedy, and behavioural economics obsessive. I spent 17 years in comedy, went bankrupt, built one of London's most popular comedy clubs, and somewhere along the way got obsessed with why the system needs you to blame yourself. New videos episodes every week!Support on Patreon: patreon.com/BarrysEconomicsOne-off support: buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomicsGary's Economics (the channel that inspired this one): youtube.com/@garyseconomicsFollow for future episodes and leave a review to help it be seen!Sign-up to my mailing list: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsSubstack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomicsReddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

The Epstein Scandal Should Be Called "The Billionaire Scandal"Everyone thinks Jeffrey Epstein was an aberration. The science says he was inevitable.This video breaks down the neuroscience, psychology, and economics that explain how extreme wealth concentration doesn't just create inequality. but manufactures monsters. I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES AS FOOTERPower and Brain Function:Obhi, S. S., Hogeveen, J., & Pascual-Leone, A. (2011). "Resonating with others: The effects of self-construal type on motor cortical output." Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 23(9), 2668-2674.Hogeveen, J., Inzlicht, M., & Obhi, S. S. (2014). "Power changes how the brain responds to others." Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(2), 755-762.Wealth and Empathy Research:Piff, P. K., Stancato, D. M., Côté, S., Mendoza-Denton, R., & Keltner, D. (2012). "Higher social class predicts increased unethical behavior." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(11), 4086-4091.Piff, P. K., Kraus, M. W., Côté, S., Cheng, B. H., & Keltner, D. (2010). "Having less, giving more: The influence of social class on prosocial behavior." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99(5), 771-784.Stellar, J. E., Manzo, V. M., Kraus, M. W., & Keltner, D. (2012). "Class and compassion: Socioeconomic factors predict responses to suffering." Emotion, 12(3), 449-459.Social Class and Moral Beliefs:Kraus, M. W., Piff, P. K., & Keltner, D. (2011). "Social class as culture: The convergence of resources and rank in the social realm." Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20(4), 246-250.Kraus, M. W., & Keltner, D. (2013). "Social class rank, essentialism, and punitive judgment." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105(2), 247-261.Isolation and Psychological Effects:Cacioppo, J. T., & Hawkley, L. C. (2009). "Perceived social isolation and cognition." Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 13(10), 447-454.Smith, P. K., & Trope, Y. (2006). "You focus on the forest when you're in charge of the trees: Power priming and abstract information processing." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 90(4), 578-596.Wealth Inequality Statistics:International Monetary Fund (IMF) - Various reports on wealth inequality and economic stabilityWorld Inequality Database (WID.world) - Thomas Piketty et al.

Your accent isn't just how you sound.It's how you're judged.Within seconds of hearing someone speak, we make snap judgments about intelligence, trustworthiness, class, and competence.And we pretend we don't.What happens for you when Gary Stevenson's working-class voice has a posh accent?Why received pronunciation makes people sound more trustworthy (even when they're lying)How accent bias affects everything from job interviews to courtroomsThis is how our brains work - and how it encompasses Archbishop Desmond Tutu's uncomfortable but moving confession about his own unconscious prejudiceThe psychological research that proves this is how all human brains workThis isn't about snobbery. It's not about bad people.It's about how your brain takes shortcuts. And how those shortcuts create real consequences for working-class people – even when their ideas are better, their arguments stronger, their intelligence higher.This isn't opinion. It's behavioural science.You might not like what you discover about yourself. But once you see it, you can't unsee it.Also - I recommend Jimmy The Giant's Channel here:https://www.youtube.com/jimmythegiantand also if you want to know more about Desmond Tutu you can hear him speak here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV2LURTu3eQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zFB1BromEI’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

There's a story running in the background of your mind right now. You didn't start it. You didn't agree to it. And it's ruining your life.That story has a headquarters: Wall Street. A place where the myth that "greed is good" isn't just believed, it's acted out, every single day.But here's what most people don't know: stories aren't just entertainment. Stories are software. We run on them. And behavioral science has proven, again and again, that the story you believe about human nature literally becomes the person you turn into.In this video, I look at:1- The Kathleen Vohs experiments that showed how just being REMINDED of money makes people less helpful, more isolated, and physically move their chairs further apart from others2- The Paul Piff Monopoly study where researchers rigged a game to give one player all the advantages — and watched them become louder, greedier, and more entitled within minutes (even though they knew it was rigged)3 - How economics students become measurably more selfish the longer they study mainstream economics — not because they were born that way, but because the story they're taught becomes a self-fulfilling prophecyThis isn't a video about Wall Street. This is a video about the invisible story controlling your behavior, your empathy, and your life — without you even realizing it.RESEARCH CITED:• Vohs, K. D., Mead, N. L., & Goode, M. R. (2006). The psychological consequences of money. Science.• Piff, P. K., et al. (2012). Higher social class predicts increased unethical behavior. PNAS.• Frank, R. H., Gilovich, T., & Regan, D. T. (1993). Does studying economics inhibit cooperation?I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Your rent is up. Your bills are unpaid. But the government says the economy is FINE. Why?The answer is one of the simplest mathematical illusions in politics: GDP and averages.GDP was invented in the 1940s to measure wartime tank production. It doesn't care about your quality of life. It doesn't care who gets the money. It just measures "busy-ness" - and billionaires walking into rooms can make the average skyrocket while you're still on £25k.In this video, I break down:Why GDP is a wartime metric that makes no sense in peacetimeHow averages hide the real economy from viewThe two numbers that actually tell us how people are doing Why we can't fix what we refuse to measureEvery major economist - Piketty, Saez, Zucman, even the IMF - is sounding the alarm. The pie is growing, but your slice is shrinking. And the reason nobody's fixing it? We're measuring the billionaire economy, not the one you actually live in.We're not measuring the economy wrong. We're measuring the wrong economy.Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

This video isn’t about attacking Rory Stewart, or about bad faith, stupidity, or intent.It’s about something more uncomfortable... and much more common.Some of the biggest mistakes in modern politics and economics aren’t made by extremists or idiots.They’re made by intelligent, well-meaning people who all make the same mistake at the same time, and don’t notice it.Decision science has a word for this: homophily.When people with similar backgrounds, training, and assumptions cluster together, their errors stop cancelling out. They line up.That’s when consensus starts to feel like evidence.Using Rory Stewart and The Rest Is Politics as a case study, this video looks at:1 - Why expert agreement can become unreliable in complex systems2 - How dismissal replaces critique3 - And why voices from outside elite circles often sound “dangerous” rather than informativeThis isn’t a call to shout louder.And it isn’t a rejection of expertise.It’s a reminder that when everyone around you agrees, that’s often the moment you should check what you might be missing.I’m Barry Ferns, a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

We like to believe that extreme success comes from brilliance.That the people who win - whether in a game, a market, or an economy must be smarter, sharper, more deserving than everyone else.That story is comforting.Because it makes outcomes feel fair.But here I'm going to look closely at that storyIt’s about how stories protect systems — and why asking the right question matters more than admiring the “mastermind”.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Why do the people with the most power so rarely get challenged?While watching The Traitors, something clicked for me about how inequality actually works — and why so many debates about wealth, power, and redistribution never go anywhere.This video isn’t just about the TV show. It’s about information asymmetry, silence, and how systems protect power without anyone needing to conspire.This video looks at:Why silence is more powerful than argumentHow opposition fragments itself without realisingWhy clarity looks suspicious in unequal systemsAnd why agreement, not perfection, is what actually threatens entrenched wealthIf you’ve ever wondered why inequality feels so obvious and yet so impossible to fix, this is the missing piece.If you found this useful, you might also like the other videos on this channel exploring power, bias, and why so many “common sense” economic stories fall apart under scrutiny.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

We hear them all the time — “Don’t hate the player, hate the game,” “If you’re not growing, you’re dying,” “Losers blame the system.”They sound harmless — even motivational — but these phrases carry the logic of toxic economics: ideas that protect inequality by making it feel “normal.”In this video, I break down the hidden psychology behind everyday money talk — and why language itself can be one of capitalism’s greatest tricks.--Toxic Economics – Research & References - System Justification Theory (Jost & Banaji, 1994): people often defend existing systems even when it harms them — key to phrases like “don’t hate the player.”- Growth Imperative — “If you’re not growing, you’re dying” mirrors capitalist models that tie wellbeing to GDP rather than sustainability (OECD, 2023).- Meritocracy Myth — “Losers blame the system” reflects belief in fair outcomes despite structural barriers (Norton & Ariely, 2011; Piff & Kraus, 2012).- Reality Bias — “Live in the real world” discourages imagining alternatives, reinforcing status quo bias (Samuelson & Zeckhauser, 1988).I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

This is an attempt at re-framing rather than absolute economic analysis.(For any 100% Capitalism Absolute Haters out there)But if we can change the story we can change the path IMO....You’ve been told that if you dislike inequality, monopolies, and rigged markets, you must “hate capitalism.”When people defend today’s economy, they often point to Adam Smith — the “father of capitalism.”But Smith what did Smith say about greed, monopoly, or concentrated power?This video explains:– What Adam Smith actually believed– Why modern capitalism looks nothing like his ideas– How markets stopped meaning competition and started meaning concentration– And why being angry about inequality doesn’t mean you hate capitalismBecause if markets are meant to serve society — not the other way around — then it’s time to be honest about what system we’re really living in.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

We’ve misunderstood A Christmas Carol for 180+ years.Everyone thinks it’s about kindness, redemption, or personal transformation……but Charles Dickens was doing something deeper.Analysing the effects of wealth on both the Economy and the Human Mind.This is a fresh interpretation of A Christmas Carol — not as a moral fable, but as a story about economics, bias, inequality, and the psychology of wealth.In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge isn’t cruel because he lacks compassion — he’s cruel because his worldview is shaped by wealth and insulation from consequence. Psychological biases like self-sufficiency and the just-world fallacy keep him blind to dependency, suffering, and structural inequality.Dickens knew what modern science now confirms:Wealth changes how people see others and how they interpret suffering.People rationalise suffering when they feel powerless to fix it. Extreme wealth concentration doesn’t just feel unfair — it undermines economic stability, opportunities, and social mobility. In this video I trace A Christmas Carol through the lens of economics, psychology, and inequality — and explain why Scrooge’s transformation is about fixing a broken economic mindset, not just becoming “a nicer person.”Topics coveredSelf-sufficiency bias & modern psychologyJust-world bias & victim-blaming (Lerner’s experiments) WikipediaStructural inequality & wealth concentrationHow Dickens anticipates 21st-century inequalityI’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.How to Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

When people talk about poverty, they usually talk about money.Low wages. High rent. No savings. No safety net.But that’s only half the story.The most corrosive part of inequality isn’t just material hardship — it’s humiliation.It’s the quiet, daily experience of being ignored, talked over, looked down on, or treated as if your life matters less.This video looks at what inequality does psychologically, not just financially — and why societies with bigger gaps don’t just get poorer… they get sicker, angrier, and less trusting.This isn’t about being “nice” to poor people. It’s about how systems actually function — and what happens when dignity is stripped from millions of people.What the research shows:Status, shame, and mental healthA study published in the British Journal of Social Psychology (2010) found that perceived low social status — not just low income — is strongly associated with: shame worthlessness depression anxietyEven when people weren’t materially poor, feeling disregarded was enough to damage wellbeing.Brown-Iannuzzi et al., 2010https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27879320/Social exclusion literally hurtsNeuroscientist Naomi Eisenberger (UCLA) showed that social rejection and exclusion activate the same brain regions as physical pain — particularly the anterior cingulate cortex.Being ignored doesn’t just feel painful.The brain processes it as pain.Eisenberger et al., Science, 2003 / 2008https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1089134Inequality damages everyone — not just the poorIn The Spirit Level, epidemiologists Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett compared data across 23 wealthy countries and found that more unequal societies suffer higher rates of: • mental illness • obesity • homicide • infant mortality • lower trust • worse educational outcomesAnd crucially:These effects hit all income groups, not just the poorest.Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Levelhttps://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/resources/the-spirit-levelWho gets seen — and who doesn’tA Sutton Trust analysis (2018) found that in the UK: • roughly 60% of top TV presenters • roughly 74% of judgeswere privately educated — compared to ~7% of the general population.Inequality isn’t just about money.It’s about visibility, voice, and respect.Sutton Trust, 2018https://www.suttontrust.com/our-research/elitist-britain-2019/Poverty is expensive tooAccording to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2023), poverty costs the UK economy around £78 billion per year through: • lost productivity • poor health outcomes • higher public service useHumiliation doesn’t just harm people.It harms economies.JRF, 2023https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/poverty-uk-costs-economySupport Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsMore about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Why Slow Horses Is About You (Not Spies) Because Slow Horses Isn’t Fiction — It’s How Power Really WorksSlow Horses isn’t just a spy show — it’s one of the most accurate portraits of modern power, bias and inequality on TV.Here’s what the rejects of Slough House can teach us about who actually sees the truth… and why the “polished elite” so often get it wrong.In this video, I break down the psychology behind the show using real studies on why we reward confidence over competenceSlow Horses might be fiction — but the science behind it is very real.Slow Horses is one of the smartest shows on TV — not because of the spy plot, but because of what it exposes about power, class, status, and who we choose to trust.We’re conditioned our whole lives to believe that only certain types of people — accents, schools, clothes, confidence — get to understand how the country works.But Slow Horses flips that completely.This isn’t just storytelling… it’s psychology.Here are the sources and studies I mention in the video:1. Status BiasKraus, M.W., & Keltner, D. (2009).Signs of Socioeconomic Status: A Thin-Slicing Approach.Journal of Psychological Science.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02423.x→ People automatically rate high-status individuals (clothes, accents, posture) as more competent — even when performance is identical.2. Halo EffectThorndike, E.L. (1920).A Constant Error in Psychological Ratings.Journal of Applied Psychology.https://doi.org/10.1037/h0071665→ When someone looks “polished” or succeeds in one area, we project other positives onto them: intelligence, leadership, trustworthiness.Modern example:Believing someone who runs a tech company can also run governments, solve wars, or parent well — purely through spillover prestige.3. Authority BiasMilgram, S. (1963).Behavioral Study of Obedience.Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology.https://doi.org/10.1037/h0040525→ Humans obey people who look authoritative — lab coats, titles, offices — even when they’re obviously wrong or harmful.Regent’s Park (in the show) is basically the lab coat: shiny, impressive, and catastrophically incompetent.4. Accent BiasLev-Ari, S. & Keysar, B. (2010).Why Don’t We Believe Non-native Speakers? The Influence of Accent on Credibility.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019869→ People trust information less when delivered in a non-prestige or unfamiliar accent — even when the content is identical.This is why a Jackson Lamb type gets ignored.Not because he’s wrong — but because he doesn’t sound like the kind of person who’s “supposed” to know.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Why isn’t the economy growing anymore? Because it can’t.We’re not in the “Cowboy Economy” of endless expansion — we’re on Spaceship Earth, a closed system with finite resources.Economists were warned about this in 1966… and ignored it.In slow-growth economies, inequality explodes, billionaire wealth takes off, and everyone else feels squeezed.This isn’t a glitch — it’s the new normal.Sources & Studies Mentioned:• Kenneth Boulding — The Economics of the Coming Spaceship Earth (1966):https://www.panarchy.org/boulding/spaceship.1966.html• Robert Gordon — The Rise and Fall of American Growth (2016):https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691147727/the-rise-and-fall-of-american-growth• Dani Rodrik — The Globalization Paradox / research:https://drodrik.scholar.harvard.edu/publications• Thomas Piketty — Capital in the 21st Century (2014):https://piketty.pse.ens.fr/en/capital21c• Stiglitz — The Great Divide (2015):https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393248579• OECD (2015) In It Together:https://www.oecd.org/social/in-it-together-why-less-inequality-benefits-all-9789264235120-en.htm• IMF (2014) Redistribution, Inequality and Growth:https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/Staff-Discussion-Notes/Issues/2016/12/31/Redistribution-Inequality-and-Growth-41246• Alesina & Perotti (1996):https://www.jstor.org/stable/2555730• Wilkinson & Pickett — The Spirit Level data:https://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/resources/the-spirit-level• ONS UK Wealth Data (2023):https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealthSupport Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/ You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Why you're not wrong:In this video, I break down the psychological and social mechanisms used (often unconsciously) to silence people when they talk about a Wealth Tax or Capital Taxation.Key social-psychology theories & studies referencedEMOTIONAL DISMISSAL / INVALIDATIONKatz & Gottman (1999) – Emotion dismissing vs emotion coaching.Defines emotional dismissal as minimising or reframing emotional reactions as irrational.https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1999-02470-005TESTIMONIAL INJUSTICE (DISMISSING CREDIBILITY DUE TO EMOTION / IDENTITY)Miranda Fricker (2007) – Epistemic Injustice: Power & the Ethics of Knowing.Foundational work on how people’s testimony is dismissed as “irrational” due to prejudice.https://global.oup.com/academic/product/epistemic-injustice-9780198237907Pohlhaus (2012) – Relational knowing and epistemic injustice.Shows how dominant groups misread anger from marginalised groups as “bias” or “irrationality.”https://www.jstor.org/stable/41349563Medina (2012) – Hermeneutical injustice and social marginalisation.Explores how emotions linked to injustice get reframed as personal flaws.https://philpapers.org/rec/MEDHIEMOTION STEREOTYPING & STATUS-BASED CREDIBILITY BIASTiedens (2001) – Anger and advancement.High-status people’s anger = “powerful”; low-status people’s anger = “irrational / emotional.”https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2001-05102-012Ridgeway (2014) – Why status matters.Explains how emotion and credibility are evaluated differently based on social rank.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2378023114548573SYSTEM JUSTIFICATION THEORY (DEFENDING THE STATUS QUO)Jost et al. (2018) – A Quarter-Century of System Justification Theory.Overview of why people defend systems even when they’re unfair.https://as.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu-as/psychology/documents/facultypublications/johnjost/A%20Quarter%20Century%20of%20System%20Justification%20Theory.pdfCaricati (2020) – System justification among the disadvantaged.Shows how even those harmed by the system may internalise system-defending beliefs.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00040/fullSupport Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

THE BBC IS BIASEDEveryone shouts about BBC bias:The Left says it’s protecting billionaires.The Right says it’s woke propaganda.What is the truth?Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

The difference that sets Gary Stevenson apart isn't solely his trading success, his hard economics, or even his communication skills. It’s the perspective he brings — a perspective almost completely missing from the UK’s media and political class.In this video, I break down:• why Gary’s background lets him see the 50th percentile clearly• why wealthy commentators struggle to understand inequality• how class-based blindspots shape economic debates• the biases that make millionaires think the system is “basically fine”• why inequality sounds like “anger” to people who don’t experience it• how motivated reasoning and status-quo bias distort policy conversations• why Gary’s framing of tax, wealth and inheritance cuts through the noiseThis isn’t about left or right.It’s about who feels the crisis, who doesn’t, and whose perspective shapes the story.Gary Stevenson doesn’t just debate inequality.He translates it — from lived reality into plain language.SCIENTIFIC + PSYCHOLOGICAL INFO:1. Status Quo Bias (Samuelson & Zeckhauser, 1988)People tend to prefer existing systems and default options, even when alternatives may clearly be better.This can help explain why individuals in comfortable circumstances may feel less urgency for systemic change.2. Motivated Reasoning (Kunda, 1990)People unconsciously use selective reasoning to reach conclusions they prefer, protecting their prior beliefs and interests.3. Contact Theory & Empathy Gaps (Allport, 1954; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006)Direct contact with a social group improves accuracy of judgments about that group.Lack of contact can widen empathy gaps and distort perceptions.4. Socioeconomic Perception Biases (Norton & Ariely, 2011; Kraus et al., 2017)Higher-SES individuals often underestimate inequality, overestimate social mobility, and perceive the system as more fair or meritocratic than it is.5. SES & Perspective-Taking (Kraus, Piff & Keltner 2011; Stellar et al., 2012; supported by Weiss & Faber, 2022)Higher socioeconomic status is linked to reduced accuracy when imagining or understanding the experiences of lower-income individuals.6. Scarcity & Cognitive Load (Mullainathan & Shafir, 2013)Financial scarcity increases cognitive load and reduces mental bandwidth, making economic pressures more psychologically immediate and tangible.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Britain’s Budget isn’t an economic plan — it’s a ritual designed to shape your perception of how the country is doing.The Red Briefcase. The solemn walk. The shouting in the Commons. The “Winners and Losers” newspaper spreads.None of this is accidental. This video breaks down how the Budget uses three powerful psychological biases — Authority Bias, Status Quo Bias, and Anchoring — to make us feel like something meaningful is happening… even when nothing structural changes.In this video you’ll learn:- Why the Budget is Victorian theatre dressed up as economic planning- How the Red Box and Commons rituals exploit Authority Bias- Why GDP is still used despite being outdated (and misleading)- How the “£37 better off!” headlines rely on Anchoring- Why 40 years of growth didn’t fix inequality — and never could- How the ceremony distracts us from wealth concentration and asset inflation- Why this ritual survives: because it worksSCIENTIFIC REFERENCES (Biases Mentioned in the Video)Authority BiasMilgram, S. (1963). Behavioral Study of Obedience.Link: https://doi.org/10.1037/h0040525One of the most famous demonstrations that people trust and obey authority symbols — even when they shouldn’t.Status Quo BiasSamuelson, W., & Zeckhauser, R. (1988). Status Quo Bias in Decision Making.Link (JSTOR): https://www.jstor.org/stable/1885010Shows how people irrationally prefer existing systems simply because they are familiar.AnchoringTversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases.Link: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.185.4157.1124The foundational study showing that the first number you hear shapes all later judgement — perfect for Budget headlines.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here: https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

In this video, I break down why treating wealth as a non-zero-sum game lets governments tax the poor while protecting the rich — and why it keeps the status quo firmly in place.I use a pie (yes, an actual pie) to explain how we confuse total growth with who actually gets the benefits of that growth… and why saying “we just need the economy to grow” is often a distraction from taxing the people most able to contribute.Along the way I look at:• Why “growth fixes everything” is a comforting myth• Why calling wealth “non-zero-sum” gets used to avoid talking about inequality• And why this makes sensible wealth taxes seem scarier than they areIf we want a fair economy, we need to question the assumptions hiding in plain sight — especially the ones repeated by politicians before every budget.References & Ideas Mentioned• Status quo bias — the tendency to prefer things staying as they are• Category errors in economics• Discussions around growth-first politics• The debate over wealth taxes vs income taxes• Research showing economic growth often doesn’t translate into shared prosperityI’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠ If you’re new to this, check out @garyseconomics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

You’ve probably heard people say they’re “asset rich but cash poor.” Usually, they’re millionaires arguing they can’t afford a wealth tax.In this video, I look at that idea — and why the same people who call that “unfair” are fine with people having to sell their homes to pay for end-of-life care in the UK.Because when it’s us, it’s “responsibility.”When it’s them, it’s a “tragedy.”If we can make laws that force pensioners to sell their homes for care, we can make laws that ask the ultra-wealthy to contribute their fair share.--📚 Research Notes- In the UK, if you have more than £23,250 in assets, you can be required to sell your home to fund long-term care (NHS & Gov.uk, 2024).- But when it comes to wealth taxes — taxing assets worth millions — we’re told it’s “unfair,” “unworkable,” or “punishing success.- That double standard shows how the system protects the wealthy while moralising poverty.Biases involved:- System Justification Bias — defending inequality as “natural.”Status Quo Bias — preferring unfair systems because they’re familiar.--I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Jacob Rees-Mogg made a video arguing against a mansion tax… from inside his mansion.So today I’m breaking down the psychology behind it: the confidence, the blind spots, the anchoring bias, and the strange belief that a “struggling family” is one living in a £2 million house with “a vast number of children.”In this analysis I look at:– why the wealthy frame taxes as “punishment”– anchoring bias and elite social circles– the “asset rich, cash poor” myth– why we tax income instead of wealth (the streetlight effect)– how inequality shapes the stories politicians tellSources referenced:– Tversky & Kahneman (1974) – Anchoring & Adjustment– Caputo (2019) – The Streetlight Effect in decision-making– Piketty et al. (2018) – Wealth vs Income inequality gaps– UK ONS Housing Stock Data (1.5% of homes worth £2m+)If you want more analysis episodes (Rest is Politics, Diary of a CEO, other political characters) let me know in the comments.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

The Left says the rich should share their weath. The Right says they earned their wealth.They’re both wrong — because wealth isn’t individual, it’s collective.In this episode, I explain why a wealth tax isn’t political — it’s about fixing an error in the perception - in the way we see the world culturally.Because wealth doesn’t come from nowhere. It depends on public infrastructure, education, stability, and millions of people who make that system run.This isn’t about taking sides — it’s about correcting a massive economic blind spot.Both the left and the right have helped create it:The left says “it’s your money,” the right says “I’m self-made,” and both forget that no fortune is truly individual.A wealth tax isn’t punishment. It’s maintenance — a way to keep the system fair for everyone it depends on.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Governments tax what’s easiest to see — not where the real money is.We tax income because it’s under the streetlight, while real wealth hides in the dark.(And If this makes sense, share it — the algorithm rarely taxes attention.)In this episode, I explore The Streetlight Effect — a bias that shapes everything from science to economics.We look for solutions where it’s comfortable, familiar, visible.And that’s exactly how governments build their tax systems:they shine the lamp on PAYE earners, and ignore the shadowlands of property, trusts, and offshore wealth.The result? Ordinary people get combed over while the keys to fairness — assets, portfolios, real capital — lie untouched.If we really want change, we’ve got to move the light.This is what a genuine wealth tax means: shining where the real wealth lies.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

This one was sparked by a chat I had with someone in the audience at my comedy club — they mentioned retrocessionaires (yes, that’s a real word), which got me thinking about how much risk the rich actually take for their massive gains.We’re told that the rich are “risk-takers” — brave visionaries who deserve their success. Is that entirely true?I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey and the risks I've taken, have led to failure, homelessness, and rebuilding that also led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00If you want to watch my standup comedy you check out my other channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryferns?sub_confirmation=1 To learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Are the poor just pure jealous, envious of the rich - is that what a wealth tax is about?People sure talk a lot about "The Politics of Envy"I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

Why does inequality keep repeating itself — even when everyone can see it’s broken?It couldn't be clearer - and in fact even the rich-owned news media know there's a problem. But no-one can seem to agree on what the problem actually is, or how to fix it?Why is that - because most people at the bottom can see clearly what the problem is - that there's a huge underclass of people who don't have access to proper education or healthcare or even training to allow them to work 45 hours a week and still earn enough to pay rent.In this video, I talk about what I call the “Inequality Feedback Loop.”It’s the invisible cycle that is necessary - so that we know what's going on.And what you can do to re-connect itRead the original story here:https://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheEmperorsNewClothes_e.htmlIt’s time to point and say: “Hang on… this doesn’t make sense.”The Inequality Feedback Loop — Key Facts- Food poverty: In the UK (2024–25), the Trussell Trust distributed 2.9 million emergency food parcels — a record high.- Working but struggling: 17% of UK workers (≈ 1 in 6) now hold second jobs to make ends meet (Work Foundation, July 2025).- Low-paid work: Around 5 million people (15.7%) earn less than the “real living wage” (Living Wage Foundation, 2024).- Health inequality: The poorest areas in the UK still see life expectancy 9 years shorter than the richest (ONS, 2024).Together, these show how poverty isn’t a failure of effort — it’s the result of a loop that rewards those already secure and punishes those trying to climb out.--I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00Want to see the stand-up side of all this?Find my live comedy and storytelling here: https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryfernsTo learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

The Bill Murray comedy club isn’t named after the actor — it’s named after Sir William Murray, the first Earl of Dysart, who was Prince Charles the First’s official “whipping boy.” When the young royal misbehaved, Little William Murray took the punishment on his behalf.It’s a strange bit of history — but also a perfect metaphor for today. In our hyper-capitalist system, everyday people end up playing the role of the whipping boy: taking the pain for the mistakes, excesses, and privileges of billionaires and the ultra-rich.In this video, I explore the story behind the name of my comedy club, and how it reflects the deeper realities of inequality that so many of us live with now.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow and Subscribe for future videos! More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Twitter: ⁠⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠⁠Substack: ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠⁠Reddit: ⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠⁠If you’re new to this, check out Gary's Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00If you want to watch my standup comedy you check out my other YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryferns?sub_confirmation=1 To learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/

This video started with a simple phrase that I realised I never questioned: “Survival of the fittest” — a phrase used to justify a lot of "Market Forces" and economics — And I just presumed it was true and actually Darwin’s.So I looked into it - and this is what I found...It also shows how status quo bias, confirmation bias, and motivated reasoning have helped to keep that story alive too — and talks about how we can start challenging it.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow or Subscribe for future videos! More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠Reddit: ⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠If you’re new to this, check out Garys Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00If you want to watch my standup comedy you check out my other channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryferns?sub_confirmation=1 To learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/Research & References:Charles Darwin (1859) – On the Origin of Species, Chapter III “Struggle for Existence”- “Any variation, however slight, if it be in any degree profitable… will tend to the preservation of that individual.”Charles Darwin (1871) – The Descent of Man, Chapter IV- “Those communities which included the greatest number of the most sympathetic members would flourish best.”Herbert Spencer (1864) – Principles of Biology- Introduced the phrase “survival of the fittest,” later misused as moral justification for social inequality.Cognitive Bias Research:Status Quo Bias – Samuelson & Zeckhauser (1988), Journal of Risk and UncertaintyConfirmation Bias – Lord, Ross & Lepper (1979), Journal of Personality and Social PsychologyMotivated Reasoning – Kunda (1990), Psychological BulletinIntroduced the phrase “survival of the fittest,” later misused as moral justification for social inequality.Cognitive Bias Studies:- Status Quo Bias — Samuelson & Zeckhauser (1988), Journal of Risk and Uncertainty- Confirmation Bias — Lord, Ross & Lepper (1979), Journal of Personality and Social Psychology- Motivated Reasoning — Kunda (1990), Psychological Bulletin

This video is about why today’s staggering inequality and obscene billionaire wealth are way way worse than we think - and why there's a reckoning a-comingI’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow or Subscribe for future episodes!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: ⁠tiktok.com/@barryseconomics⁠Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/barryseconomics⁠Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/barryseconomics⁠Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@barryseconomics⁠Reddit: ⁠https://www.reddit.com/user/barryferns/⁠If you’re new to this, check out Garys Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.If you want to watch my standup comedy you check out my other channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryferns?sub_confirmation=1 To learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/Research Mentioned in this VideoIn this video I talk about the “Smoky Room Experiment” — a psychology study by John Darley & Bibb Latané (1968). It showed how people are far less likely to act in an emergency if others in the room don’t react — something called the bystander effect.I think it’s a really powerful way of understanding how society can “normalise” things like inequality — even when the harm is right in front of us.If you want to read more about it, here’s a good explainer: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bystander-effect.html?utm_source=chatgpt.comAnd for the full academic reference: Darley, J. M., & Latané, B. (1968). Bystander intervention in emergencies: Diffusion of responsibility. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 8(4), 377–383.

In this episode I dig into why massive inequality so often gets brushed aside or minimised — even when it’s staring us in the face. From the way the media frames wealth taxes as “punishing success,” to how politicians and journalists overwhelmingly come from privileged backgrounds, to the psychology of the bystander effect and system justification bias — there are powerful forces that keep inequality hidden in plain sight.I’ll share some of the research, history, and examples that explain why people ignore or even defend a system that doesn’t work for most of us. And more importantly, how we can start changing the story.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on:Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsIf you’re new to this, check out @garyseconomics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00If you want to watch my standup comedy you check out my other channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryferns?sub_confirmation=1 To learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/Sources & Further ReadingI’ve pulled together some of the research and articles mentioned in this video — if you’d like to explore further:Education & Power in the UK- Only ~7% of the UK population go to private school (Sutton Trust, Elitist Britain 2019, 2023).- Recent Conservative Cabinets (2010s–2020s): ~55% privately educated.- UK Governments since 1940s: 50%+ privately educated.- Prime Ministers since 1945: ~76% privately educated (20% went to Eton).- Journalists: ~43% of top columnists privately educated (Sutton Trust, 2019).Wealth Tax Narratives- FT Adviser (2025): “The wealth tax whisper is already costing Britain dearly.”- The Times: “Why a wealth tax won’t work.”- Telegraph (2025): “Wealth tax will penalise savers.”- FT: “The problem with taxing the rich” — billionaires are mobile.Behavioural Economics & Psychology- Availability Heuristic — Tversky & Kahneman (1973).- System Justification Bias — Jost & Banaji (1994).- Bystander Effect — Latané & Darley (1968, Smoky Room Study).- Kitty Genovese case (1964) — often cited as a real-world example.Wealth Tax Evidence- Norway’s wealth tax has helped reduce inequality (IMF 2021, OECD).Relevant MediaGary Stevenson on The Rest Is Politics (2024):Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4NViUfx0aK98G2Qtp6yqUBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-rest-is-politics/id1611374639?i=1000670520161

In this episode I talk about why SALLY'S ECONOMICS (And Larry's and Gareths, and Sarah's and Molly's) are hugely important. And how the bystander effect and authority bias affects how we face talking about this huge issue and joining together to tackle inequality— and how to shape the wealth tax debate. I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/You can also follow me on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsInstagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomicsIf you’re new to this, check out @garyseconomics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00If you want to watch my standup comedy you check out my other channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mrbarryferns?sub_confirmation=1 To learn more about my comedy club, Angel Comedy, and buy tickets for shows head here: https://www.angelcomedy.co.uk/Research MentionedI mention the Kitty Genovese case (New York, 1964) — a event that inspired research into the bystander effect. If you want to read more, check out this explainer: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bystander-effect.html

Why isn't Inequality being addressed despite it being clear and visible - why are the voices of those who are raising it are getting ignored?It can be incredibly confusing when the evidence of inequality is all around us and yet it is ignored by people in power. Sometime the reasons can be in in plain sight but hard to truly see - but when I saw this interview with Gary Stevenson on The Rest is Politics saw a bias so clearly I had to unpick it.If you haven't seen it yet, you can watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/iD2sPL7k98c?si=ucrie3yRKY6HkuzDI’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality - the bias' that keep us trapped in systems that don't work.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/If you’re new to this, check out Gary’s Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective of economics: / @garyseconomics THE STUDIES REFERENCED IN THIS VIDEO:These are the main studies showing that people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds tend to read and display emotions more keenly than those from higher/elite backgrounds:Kraus, Côté & Keltner (2010) – Social class, contextualism, and empathic accuracyFound lower-class participants were better at reading emotions across tests and real-life interactions.https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610387613Stellar, Manzo, Kraus & Keltner (2012) – Class and compassion: Socioeconomic factors predict responses to sufferingLower-class participants showed greater compassion and stronger physiological responses when watching suffering.https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026508Dietze & Knowles (2021) – Social class predicts emotion perception and perspective-taking performance in adultsHigher-class participants did worse on perspective-taking and the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” test; lower-class did better.https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167220929825Kraus & Keltner (2009) – Signs of socioeconomic status: A thin-slicing approachUpper-class participants showed more disengaged nonverbal behavior (less eye contact, nodding, laughter). Lower-class displayed more engaged emotional cues.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02251.xManstead (2018) – The psychology of social class: How socioeconomic status impacts thought, feelings, and behaviourReview of the research: lower social class → more interdependent, contextual, and emotionally attuned.https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12251

WARNING! Wealth Kills (Other People)We've been in this situation before - we know it's bad. Lets just put warnings on boxes of Billionaires.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future videos!You can also follow me on 📲Tiktok: tiktok.com/@barryseconomicsSubStack: https://substack.com/@barryseconomics?Instagram: instagram.com/barryseconomicsTwitter: twitter.com/barryseconomics🙏 If you’re new to this, check out @garyseconomics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Support Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00

This episode does what it says on the Tin: Tax is Ozempic for Billionaires. I explain it in 6 minutes of exquisite detail. It's not a metaphor. It's a Fact.(It is actually a metaphor - but don't tell anyone)I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/If you’re new to this, check out Gary’s Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective of economics: https://www.youtube.com/@garyseconomicsSupport Gary's Wealth Tax Campaign Here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm4gs9Nl1L6eqWbUydjO00

In this episode I present "The future" (Or lets face it, the present) where owning a home drifts further out of reach, but the spin keeps getting shinier.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/If you’re new to this, check out Gary’s Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Topics we explore regularly:– How inequality affects mindset and identity– Why poverty feels personal (when it’s not)– The invisible rules of privilege and power– How to talk about systemic issues without shutting people down– Tools to reframe, rethink, and retell your story

In this episode I look at the psychological quirk that keeps us poor - it's a bias, a way our brain has evolved to accept the world as we find it - but it keeps us trapped, keeps us poor, and keeps the rich rich. And recognising it is a key part of making a new story, a story that makes a Wealth Tax an absolute no-brainer.I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame. And crucially - clear the path for a proper and effective wealth tax and redistribution of wealthSupport Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future episodes! More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/If you’re new to this, check out Gary’s Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Topics we explore regularly:– How inequality affects mindset and identity– Why poverty feels personal (when it’s not)– The invisible rules of privilege and power– How to talk about systemic issues without shutting people down– Tools to reframe, rethink, and retell your story

This episode I share some standup comedy I did on why I think Elon Musk is a real-life Batman!I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/If you’re new to this, check out  @garyseconomics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Topics we explore regularly:– How inequality affects mindset and identity– Why poverty feels personal (when it’s not)– The invisible rules of privilege and power– How to talk about systemic issues without shutting people down– Tools to reframe, rethink, and retell your story

In this episode, I discuss how wealth can tend to warp the mind of the beneficiaries in our society. I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/If you’re new to this, check out  @garyseconomics  first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Topics we explore regularly:– How inequality affects mindset and identity– Why poverty feels personal (when it’s not)– The invisible rules of privilege and power– How to talk about systemic issues without shutting people down– Tools to reframe, rethink, and retell your story

In this episode, I discuss the idea of authority bias and how it affects the way we see billionaires in society. I’m Barry Ferns – a comedian whose personal journey through failure, homelessness, and rebuilding led me to explore the socio and behavioural economics of inequality.This channel digs into how systems of power shape our identity, behaviour, and beliefs, and how we can shift the stories we tell ourselves and each other about poverty, inequality, and who’s to blame.Support Barry’s EconomicsHelp us stay independent and keep making videos like this.- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/barryseconomics- https://ko-fi.com/barryseconomics- https://www.patreon.com/barryseconomicsFollow for future videos!More about me: https://barryferns.co.uk/If you’re new to this, check out Gary’s Economics first – his channel gives the structural and financial perspective. This one adds the lived, social and emotional side.Topics we explore regularly:– How inequality affects mindset and identity– Why poverty feels personal (when it’s not)– The invisible rules of privilege and power– How to talk about systemic issues without shutting people down– Tools to reframe, rethink, and retell your story