In that case, I don't see why this is so bad. They value efficiency, so they borrow money and pay back the debt by working harder and more efficiently. I can se

In that case, I don't see why this is so bad. They value efficiency, so they borrow money and pay back the debt by working harder and more efficiently. I can see how investing in a refrigerator, stove, computer, and internet access would be worth it even if you put them all on a credit card at 20%; I wouldn't have a job without a computer and internet access, and I wouldn't have time to work without refrigerated food. Since this chart is careful not to adjust for age, we don't know if this is a story about 20somethings borrowing to start a family, 50somethings earning a lot of money at their peak careers, and 70somethings living off of the interest in their retirement accounts. In other words, this kind of chart could portray a totally egalitarian society in which everyone earns the same amount over a lifetime, but they earn it at different times. Thanks for adjusting the chart so there's no way to know that, NYT! I'm glad your writers don't have an agenda I should worry about!