Some of those statements might be hyperbolic to a degree, but it's really a question of degree, not the overall trends. My personal characterization was 'The ch

Some of those statements might be hyperbolic to a degree, but it's really a question of degree, not the overall trends. My personal characterization was 'The choice is more between "member of various elite / professional jobs" and "Starbucks"', which I don't think is all that hyperbolic if you look at the actual "hollowing out" data from Autor, Stiglitz, et al. If you read only one link, make it this one: http://economics.mit.edu/files/5554 http://economics.mit.edu/files/5554 - the study is one of the universally acknowledged and well-respected around. As far as the happiness quotient for the broad swathes, I think the polls do contradict you: http://www.pollingreport.com/right.htm http://www.pollingreport.com/right.htm Edit: here's one from the AEI, a right-learning source you linked to (Tyler Cowen, a popular right-libertarian blogger's book "Average is Over" deals with this as well. Definitely worth a read if you haven't): https://www.aei.org/publication/more-evidence-average-is-over-and-the-us-middle-class-is-thinning/ https://www.aei.org/publication/more-evidence-average-is-ove...