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We've all used the phrase "real people" — meaning the regular folks, the everyday ones, as opposed to the famous, the wealthy, the powerful. But what if that whole distinction is a lie? This week, I'm pulling apart the binary between "ordinary" and "extraordinary" — sharing a story from my own childhood, a lesson from my years writing public policy, and some genuinely surprising research on what actually makes us alike. Spoiler: the line between you and a billionaire is a lot thinner than either of you think. Grab your coffee — this one's personal.

Quote of the Week

“If it’s not accessible to the poor, it is neither radical nor revolutionary”

Citations

· Witherspoon, D.J., Wooding, S., Rogers, A.R., et al. (2007). Genetic similarities within and between human populations. Genetics, 176(1), 351–359. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.106.067355

· Ekman, P., Friesen, W.V., O'Sullivan, M., et al. (1987). Universals and cultural differences in the judgments of facial expressions of emotion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(4), 712–717. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3681648/

· Systematic review (2025) of 21 peer-reviewed studies (1972–2024) on cultural differences in the production of emotional facial expressions. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12907163/

· Killingsworth, M.A. (2024). Money and Happiness: Extended Evidence Against Satiation. Happiness Science. https://happiness-science.org/money-happiness-satiation/

· Killingsworth, M.A., Kahneman, D., Mellers, B. (2023). Income and emotional well-being: A conflict resolved. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120. (referenced in CBC coverage: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costofliving/money-can-buy-happiness-1.7107592)

· "If it's not accessible to the poor, it is neither radical nor revolutionary" — widely circulated activist quote since at least 2016; original source unattributed.

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

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