In my family, my two brothers are multi-millionaires and I am the poor relation. They both own two large and luxurious houses, while I own one small unit in Henderson (rateable value $410,000).
I'm not poor, but I'm much poorer than them. They drive smart new cars, while I've never owned a new car. They own or have owned expensive sailing and motor boats, but I don't even have a kayak in the garage.
When we travel together, my wife and I stay in backpackers, while my younger brother and his wife always stay in a Sheraton or other 5-star luxury hotel. When we go out to eat we split restaurant bills and I always pray that no one orders a bottle of wine that will cost me a week's spending money. That's what inequality means for us.
My twin brother once described me as "a poor provider". I was shocked because I think of myself as an okay provider, but it's true that compared with them I am a financial flop.
All three of us started adult life equal with nothing in the bank.
Like most parents in those days, even well-off ones, ours did not give us any money, cars or houses to help us on our way. If we wanted anything in life, we had to work for it.
My brothers have worked hard at much higher paid jobs than me. Starting off from the same point, with the same upbringing, their thousands of life choices have resulted in them being much more prosperous than me.
My younger brother dropped out of catering college, started as a deckhand on a super yacht in the south of France and worked his way up to captain. My twin brother qualified as a building engineer and was promoted to near the top of a giant company in Canada.
It would be ridiculous for me to blame my brothers (or capitalism or politicians) for my relative poverty, when it's my own fault.
My low-paid teaching and writing jobs have left me far behind them financially.
I've worked in lots of different jobs rather than concentrated on a career, and any wealth I have is due to my saving habit rather than high earnings.
Yet I don't feel jealous or resentful of my brothers, and it's perfectly fair that they should be far richer than me. They deserve their success and I'm happy for them.
Why should any government take more of their money away and give it to me, just because I'm poorer than them? They already pay much more tax than me.
It would be ridiculous for me to blame my brothers (or capitalism or politicians) for my relative poverty, when it's my own fault.
I should have bought more Auckland property, worked harder and not retired so early.
I should have taken fewer holidays, and been more ambitious. Luckily I don't regret anything. I'm happy as I am.
We only have two aunts - one was rich while the other lived most of her life in poverty and often asked my parents for money when she visited.
This inequality continued for decades and whoever was in government made no difference. Their wealth gulf was due almost entirely to their choice of husbands - rich aunt married a bank clerk who became a bank manager, while poor aunt married an alcoholic.
Who you marry, your ability to budget and save money, your work ethic and honesty are key determinants of your wealth level.
Bunk off school, have children too young, divorce, drive drunk, carelessly or too fast and you could be financially crippled for life.
By far the biggest factor in our personal prosperity will nearly always be our own individual decisions and behaviour.
The only way to reduce inequality in my family is for me to copy the good saving and working habits of my two multi-millionaire brothers.
But I'm unlikely to suddenly become smarter, more ambitious and hard-working, so our inequality isn't likely to diminish any time soon. I'm fine with that.
