> Middle-class in developed countries, and largely specific to the United States From what I've seen, it's a phenomena in most of the Western World, and not ju

> Middle-class in developed countries, and largely specific to the United States From what I've seen, it's a phenomena in most of the Western World, and not just in the States. But you are right, of course, and as I mentioned there are more people who are living under decent conditions now than 500 years ago and that applies world-wide. I have no doubt that we'll keep going in that direction for some time yet. However, as save_ferris pointed out above, the groups that don't stand to gain from this won't care. They will be forced into a lifestyle that might not be terrible and which will be far better than their ancestors had 200 years ago, but which they cannot opt out from and which will still be far worse than their parents had. But, considering the pandemic and the amount of war-mongering going on at the moment, I guess we should all consider ourselves lucky if we don't have to pay our food with bottle caps in 20 years...