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Why do you think there is a zero sum choice between real terms purchasing power increases and the technology we have today? (Also worth noting I'd happily take

• astrange 3y ago
  There isn't a choice, the original post is incorrect. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DSPIC96 https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DSPIC96
  • PaulDavisThe1st 3y ago
    That's a graph of disposable personal income, not purchasing power, and it doesn't account of the increased cost of several major spending categories. It's also the total disposable personal income for the entire country, and not median household income. See the "Units" field: it's in billions of chained 2012 dollars. It's from 2018, but this shows what's going on more clearly: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/08/07/for-most-us-workers-real-wages-have-barely-budged-for-decades/ https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/08/07/for-most-...
    • astrange 3y ago
      > and it doesn't account of the increased cost of several major spending categories. Inflation adjustment does cover some of that. > It's from 2018, but this shows what's going on more clearly: That's cost of employer healthcare benefits, isn't it? Which causes wages to be an increasingly smaller % of total compensation.
• PaulDavisThe1st 3y ago
  Built to last, but also generally MUCH less efficient in terms of energy & material usage. Difficult tradeoff.