If I had 10 minutes and the attention of a million people

Bags packed? Check. Flight snacks? Double-check. Enough music to last the whole journey and an unputdownable book! Absolutely. Now, if only they'd start boarding. I know we're in for a wait because airlines love to board from back to front, and of course, we're last. Watching passengers rush to the gate feels like a live-action slow-motion sequence; 20 minutes later, the line still moves slower than an iPhone 11 in 2024.

The surprising part? Boarding back-to-front seems logical but is actually a prime example of inefficiency. I learned this from a YouTube video, and it blew my mind. If this method doesn't work, why do airlines use it? Simple: they love charging extra for early boarding groups. So, while we are stuck in slow-mo, the airline is cashing in. Ironically, studies show that random boarding is faster. This makes me wonder how many things we, as evolved human beings, are doing wrong on purpose because it caters to our individual interests.

Just as airlines prioritize profit by catering to the wealthier passengers, many companies and organizations put their own interests above the well-being of society. This widens the gap between the rich and poor, ultimately resulting in inequality in ways beyond imagination. With a million people's attention today, I want to speak out about how these corporations are taking advantage of everyday people economically and unfairly profiting at their expense.

This aeroplane-boarding paradox is just a tiny example of income inequality. In this case, airlines capitalize on individuals' time by slowing the boarding process. While this doesn't significantly impact anyone, the real issue arises when essential services like healthcare and education are privatized. Privatizing basic needs—such as water, electricity, education, and healthcare—creates significant barriers for marginalized communities, preventing their growth. Large corporations often view these necessities as opportunities for profit, ultimately hindering progress for underserved populations.

The commodification of education through private tutoring parallels issues in other privatized sectors. This leads to an education gap similar to those seen in other industries. In India, private tutoring has become increasingly common, with students attending school for six hours and then spending another six hours at private tutoring centres. This system essentially has students attending "school" twice a day. I wonder why private tutoring exists; students should be able to learn what they require at school. Expanding the resources of schools would be more beneficial to the masses, reducing the need for private institutions, which are only affordable for some. Education should be equitable- whether through government or private institutions, a student's primary education should be sufficient without extra tutoring. 

Although the education system has its flaws, there's an even more pressing issue in another area. One industry produces so much of a commodity that a billion tons of it go to waste each year, while millions of people die annually due to a lack of it. Yes, I'm talking about world hunger. How have we managed to solve countless problems for the privileged yet overlooked the basic needs of others to the point where they starve? We clearly have an excess of resources, and we clearly have people who desperately need them. So why is it so hard to allocate these resources where they're needed most? This isn't just a logical question– it challenges our morals, empathy and humanity.

There's often a grey area where moral values clash with limited resources and personal interests. Take monopoly, for example. In India, it was illegal until 1990. After economic liberalization, allowing monopolies helped private companies grow and improved the economy, which was struggling with low GDP, employment, and development. Similarly, agricultural subsidies for big corporations might boost exports, but they hurt local farmers who can’t grow natural crops anymore and are forced into mass production. Tax breaks for large companies can lead to more production, but they also take away funds the government needs to support communities. And while cheap labor can increase a country’s overall output, it raises serious ethical issues about fair treatment of workers.

Understanding these paradoxes—whether in airline boarding, education, or resource allocation—reveals the need for a deeper understanding of economics to challenge inequalities and create more fair and efficient systems for everyone. By studying economics, I aim to understand these systems and explore how we can create more equitable solutions. It's time for change, starting with questioning the status quo and pushing for fairness in every aspect of life.