The rich aren’t so different any more

The traditional orange at the bottom of a Christmas stocking dates to a time when this was the only orange a child might receive all year. Earlier, in the 17th century, a single pineapple might cost the equivalent of £5,000 today; like pepper in the Middle Ages, pineapple ownership was confined to royalty and the super-rich. Yet last week I spoke to someone who had worked in a food-waste processing plant. She said their worst nightmare was when one of the supermarket chains offered two-for-one on pineapples; so many people would throw away their unwanted second pineapple that the extra acidity played havoc with the chemical workings of the plant.

Because it’s Christmas, I thought it might be time to reflect on some good news. Yes, every newspaper article nowadays mentions the growing problem of wealth inequality, and for a good reason. But this overlooks one strange facet of modern life: quite simply, the world’s most amazing things are no longer all that scarce.