There's a direct relationship between other people making similar wages to you, and your inability to get someone to do a good job on anything at a price you ca

There's a direct relationship between other people making similar wages to you, and your inability to get someone to do a good job on anything at a price you can afford. If the cost of living hadn't "increased", then the middle class would still be tiny, and we wouldn't be in it. The whole thing would be moot.