And yet, US median wages have gone up from 2000 to 2023: https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/central.html https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/central.html In 2000, median

And yet, US median wages have gone up from 2000 to 2023: https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/central.html https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/central.html In 2000, median wages were ~$21,000. In 2023, it was ~$43,000 (adjusted for inflation, that's ~$24,000 in year 2000 dollars). Yes, of course, some people will not be able to adapt (through no fault of their own). But as a whole, the economy is better now than it was in 2000.