I make good money. Why do I still feel like this?

sixhobbits

Some interesting stuff with a lot of LLM tells (part that actually matters, quietly, etc) which makes me skim instead of read. Llm content can be good, but if I can't tell if it's slop or not at first glance (eg rent $800/year looked sus) I'm going to assume slop until someone I trust reads it and tells me it isnt.

bigbadfeline

Good writing, the thoughtful selection of facts and stats paints a clear picture, which in this case takes the form of a question, actually several questions. > “Middle class” stopped being an economic description a long time ago. It became an identity > “Middle class” has become a psychological container that absorbs all of this anxiety True, identity politics is a key part of political psychology, it's much more than race and gender. > They’re watching the quality decline while paying more for it. Too few talk about it, good to see it here. Of course, this is profit driven, it's good for profits but where do the profits go? Not in productive investments, which would bring prices down and quality up, but neither is happening. The only quick cure I can see is seriously progressive corporate taxation... but reality is now being driven in the opposite direction.

iJohnDoe

Nice article. Good points that seem to hit home on a lot of fronts. There will probably be a lot of comments saying it’s all wrong. Everyone is the wealthiest they have ever been. They have gotten 5 job offers after applying to 5 companies. Food prices are historically low, and so is fuel for that matter. You should be retiring at 55 and if you’re not then you’re doing something wrong.

anon-3988

Humans are simply NOT designed to _be_ happy, we are designed to _search_ for happiness. Any genes that makes us totally content have been wiped out by millions of years of evolution. We will never simply "be happy". Happiness will always be just around the corner. Any sense of happiness, fulfillment or content that you have ever felt are all bait and lure created by the mind so that you remember to desire for more. I understand the article talks about more than that. However, to me, the fact that people is not happy is not particularly interesting. OT: I think the cause of the wealth gap is much simpler. It is the stock market. I imagine a society where there is no stock market, but instead everyone invest in their local economies. We would probably be growing much slower, but who cares?