This is hidden brain.
I'm Shankar Vedantam.
Doing better than your parents, having a better education, living a better life.
This is universally seen as a good thing.
But a century ago, a poet named Christo Smyrnensky wrote a parable that raises important questions about the nature of upward mobility.
The tail of the stairs is about an impoverished young man standing at the foot of a marble staircase.
Hes gazing up at the wealthy people.
Above him who are enjoying themselves and having drinks, while the people down below dont have enough food to eat and are really suffering.
This is philosopher Jennifer Morton.
Blocking the young mans ascent to the party.
Above is the devil himself.
The devil asked him if he wants to get closer to the top.
Theres just one catch.
The devil wants a bribe.
The young man protests.
I am poor, a youth in rags, he says, but I'm willing to give up my life.
The devil says he doesn't want the young man's life.
He wants to replace his hearing with a new pair of ears.
The young man agrees.
And so the devil lets him walk up a few steps.