The marketing of these book-like objects has distorted public understanding of the entrenched nature of inequality, the terrifying psychic price we pay for generalized social precarity. Behind the attribution of poverty and failure to “lack of impulse control” is the fear and guilt that afflict the successful in an increasingly unjust society. We are an intolerant, impatient, success driven people, ready to gloat temporarily over our victory over the less worthy. Our sense of guilt is window dressing for our drive to leave everyone behind. The ethics of Chua and Rubenfeld’s arguments are reprehensible, but familiar to me.