Everywhere we look, there is a hierarchy. In schools, there are gifted tracks and remedial classes. In universities, there are rankings, some Ivy, some safety. Cities have wealthy neighborhoods and overlooked districts. Even hospitals have hierarchies, from prestigious research centers to underfunded community clinics.

But why? Why do humans seem to organize everything, from people to places, into ranked structures?

Some say it is part of evolution. Our ancestors likely survived by forming groups with clear roles: leaders, hunters, gatherers. Hierarchy helped organize effort, distribute resources, and maintain order. Others say it is biological, tied to our brain’s need to simplify a complex world. When we can label something as better or higher, we feel we understand it and where we stand in relation to it.

Historically, hierarchy served many societies well. It made governing large populations possible. It allowed for the division of labor. It gave some people purpose and direction. But it also came with a dark side. Once placed in a certain category, whether by birth, class, race, or geography, it is often extremely difficult to move out of it.

Yes, some people break through. The student from a struggling school who ends up at Harvard. The patient from a rural town who becomes a top surgeon. These stories are inspiring but they are rare and usually come with a long, painful fight.

Hierarchies are efficient but they are also sticky. And when they become too rigid, they stop serving us. They trap people instead of guiding them.

Can we keep the structure without the inequality? Can we build systems where it is easier to rise, to move, to redefine ourselves?