Credit Rating and Required Rate of Return: Suppose you and Warren Buffett borrow money from a bank. The bank will assess your credit ratings differently. Maybe the bank could offer Warren Buffett a loan without interest since it can be advertised as a bank used by the renowned investor. However, it will likely charge you interest because you have a lower credit rating and less fame than Warren Buffett. The interest rate each borrower faces, based on their creditworthiness, is called the required rate of return for creditors. Under the same conditions, the cost of poverty is much higher for the poor than for the rich. Poverty inherently involves costs. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Rice has been the staple crop of the East, while wheat has been the staple of the West. Rice requires more water to produce than wheat. Rice farmers had to contend with the availability of water, which favored collective farming. Wheat could be grown with less labor than rice. Rice farmers lived collectively, while wheat farmers lived individually. Collective agriculture led to the development of societies that were governed by village rules. On the other hand, individual agriculture led to cultures that valued personal freedom and respect for individuality over communal rules. Patterns of agriculture have indisputably influenced social structure and culture. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”