Why Economics in School is a Lie: Unveiling the Hidden Power Dynamics

The Half-Truths of Economics Class

We were all taught the same story in school: work hard, earn money, buy what you need, and the cycle of economics keeps society running smoothly. Teachers made it sound fair, simple, and logical. If you wanted more, you just had to work harder. If you wanted a better life, study harder, climb the ladder, and one day you’ll reach the top.

But here’s the truth: that’s not how the real system works.

The basics of economics—the ones taught in schools—are only the surface layer. They show you how money circulates but never who controls the faucet. They explain why people trade but not why some people profit endlessly from others’ labor. They show you the engine but hide who’s driving the car.

This blog isn’t about “Economics 101.” It’s about the unspoken layer of economics—the one that reveals who actually holds the power, why some are born with advantages that tilt the entire game in their favor, and how you can position yourself so you’re not trapped at the bottom of the pyramid.

The Foundation of All Wealth: Nutrient-Dense Soil

Strip away the banks, the corporations, and the shiny technology we think defines the modern world, and you’ll find one truth: everything starts with soil.

That burger you ate from McDonald’s? It came from wheat grown in soil, cows fed from grass rooted in soil, vegetables nourished by minerals in soil. The same goes for the iPhone in your pocket. It wasn’t pulled out of thin air. It was assembled by human hands—hands that only function because their bodies were fueled by calories from soil.

No soil, no food. No food, no workers. No workers, no iPhones, cars, skyscrapers, or anything else you can imagine. Soil is the original currency—the first unfair advantage in economics. And the people who control nutrient-dense soils have always been the ones standing closest to the source of wealth.

History proves this. Ancient empires rose on fertile lands. Civilizations crumbled when their soils eroded. Even today, countries with the richest farmlands feed the world, while those without fertile ground struggle for independence.

Beyond Soil: Other Unfair Advantages

Of course, not everyone can own prime farmland. And soil isn’t the only advantage that dictates who thrives and who struggles. Here are the other layers of the pyramid:

Geography: Being born near trade routes, ports, rivers, or resource-rich lands gives entire nations an advantage. The accident of birth often decides your odds before you even start the race.
Capital Ownership: If your family owned land, businesses, or money, you begin life closer to the top. Capital multiplies itself while labor exhausts itself.
Control of Systems: Banks, governments, and corporations don’t just play the game—they write the rules. And they make sure the rules keep them on top.
Information Advantage: Knowledge is leverage. Those who know how to exploit systems (from stock markets to algorithms) position themselves where money flows fastest.
Energy & Resources: In today’s world, oil, electricity, and rare earth minerals are the “new soil.” Whoever controls energy and resources controls progress.
Digital Land: Big Tech owns the new nutrient-rich soil of our age—attention and data. Billions of people farm content and provide clicks while a handful of platforms harvest the profit.

The Pyramid of Power

Picture the economic system as a pyramid:

Top: Resource Owners – They own soil, energy, capital, and data. The system bends around them.
Middle: Value Multipliers – Entrepreneurs, tech leaders, distributors. They don’t own the soil but they own the bridges.
Bottom: Labor – The billions working every day just to feed themselves and keep the machine alive.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most of us were born into the bottom layer, told to work harder, believing effort alone could push us up. But effort doesn’t guarantee escape—the system is designed to funnel most rewards upward.

Can You Hack the System?

Here’s the paradox: while the pyramid is unfair, it’s not unbreakable. People escape it not by working harder, but by repositioning themselves within the cycle. Here’s how:

Leverage Instead of Labor: Stop trading hours for money. Own systems, assets, or platforms that keep paying even when you’re asleep.
Bridge Building: If you don’t own soil, own the roads that connect soil to people. This could mean logistics, technology, or even digital platforms.
Rare Skills as Capital: In today’s world, certain skills act like goldmines. Coding, AI, biotech, or intellectual property ownership can catapult you closer to the top.
Networks as Soil: In the digital era, relationships and networks are the new fertile ground. The right connections can act like nutrient-rich soil, feeding opportunities into your life.
Digital Real Estate: Instead of consuming endlessly, start creating. Platforms, audiences, and attention are modern land ownership.

The Harsh Truth Schools Won’t Teach You

Why don’t schools teach this? Because schools were designed during the industrial age—not to create free thinkers but to create obedient workers. If every student understood the pyramid of power, the system would collapse. The truth is uncomfortable: working hard within the wrong layer of the pyramid only ensures you stay there.

You were taught the economy is fair. It’s not.

You were taught that everyone can make it if they try. They can’t.

You were taught that money flows evenly. It doesn’t.

But here’s the silver lining: once you see the pyramid, you can learn to climb it—or at least stop being crushed under its weight.

Conclusion: Rethinking Your Place in the Pyramid

Every empire, every economy, every fortune begins with one thing: the control of foundational resources. Soil, energy, capital, data—these are the nutrient bases of civilization. And the people who control them write the rules of the game.

But you don’t have to remain a pawn in their system. You may not inherit fertile land or vast sums of capital, but you can cultivate your own unfair advantages. That might be through rare skills, building digital real estate, leveraging networks, or finding ways to own systems rather than merely serving them.

The truth is, economics in school was never about teaching you to win—it was about teaching you to participate. But participation without positioning is servitude. The sooner you understand that, the sooner you can start building your own soil, your own bridges, your own place at the top of the pyramid.

So, ask yourself: Are you working to feed someone else’s soil, or are you ready to plant your own?

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