Between the Covers

Scarcity Mindset: Escape the Poverty Trap


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The article introduces "Scarcity," a book by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir, which argues that poverty isn't solely due to external factors but stems from a "scarcity mindset." This mindset, defined as a feeling of resource inadequacy (not just money, but also time, knowledge, or skills), leads to a vicious cycle for those experiencing it. The authors explain four key effects of scarcity: "tunneling" (focusing only on urgent matters and neglecting important ones), "borrowing" (over-leveraging future resources), lack of "slack" (having no buffer for unforeseen events), and reduced "bandwidth" (diminished cognitive capacity). Ultimately, the text proposes three strategies to escape this trap: conserving bandwidth, creating slack, and setting reminders for important tasks.

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Between the CoversBy Erick W