Shipler gives us an idea of the situation of some in the United States who live on the edge of an economic cliff: “A run - down apartment can exacerbate a child’s asthma, which leads to a call for an ambulance, which generates a medical bill that cannot be paid, which ruins a credit record, which hikes the interest rate on an auto loan, which forces the purchase of an unreliable used car, which jeopardizes a mother’s punctuality at work, which limits her promotions and earning capacity, which confines her to poor housing. ”
Shipler memberi kita gambaran tentang situasi beberapa orang di Amerika Serikat yang hidup di tepi jurang ekonomi, ” Lantaran apartemen yang reyot, penyakit asma seorang anak bertambah parah sehingga ambulans perlu dipanggil, yang mengakibatkan tagihan medis tak terbayar, sehingga masuk daftar hitam bank, sehingga suku bunga untuk membeli mobil secara kredit melonjak, sehingga terpaksa membeli mobil bekas yang tidak bagus, sehingga sang ibu tidak bisa masuk kerja tepat waktu, sehingga memperkecil kemungkinannya mendapat kenaikan jabatan dan gaji, sehingga ia terpaksa tetap tinggal di apartemen reyot itu. ”