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Here's an alternate reason why Americans "have" to work longer hours and borrow more:
The average home size has tripled since the 1950's
It's standard and expected for new autos to all have all the bells and whistles (power everything, AC, CD player, ect).
Consumerism has saturated every aspect of our lives; it's nearly impossible to go anywhere without someone trying to sell you something by convincing you that you "need" it and should buy it NOW, on easy credit.
Movies and TV regularly portray people living in circumstances that would be impossble in real life (Think under and unemployed young adults living in a giant NYC loft apartment in "Friends", for example)
All are motivators and symptoms a society where what constitutes "success" is artificially inflated. With few exceptons we can still raise a family with a single 40 hour per week income, stay at home mom and a full belly.... if we lived in 900 sq foot 1950s suburban houses with 1 stripped down Buick, 1 B&W TV, (plastic pink flamingos are optional).
Here's an alternate reason why Americans "have" to work longer hours and borrow more:
The average home size has tripled since the 1950's
Am I the only person I know who wishes they still made smaller homes? I've always wanted a "normal" 1950's house - cape, ranch, split-level, etc. - not a huge one.
But I'll add that even finding smaller homes, like Capes, they are still quite expensive.
Am I the only person I know who wishes they still made smaller homes? I've always wanted a "normal" 1950's house - cape, ranch, split-level, etc. - not a huge one.
But I'll add that even finding smaller homes, like Capes, they are still quite expensive.
Same with apartments. I just want a small, basic apartment for a decent rent ($500-$600/month), but that is pretty hard to come buy unless you literally want to live in ghetto.
Same with apartments. I just want a small, basic apartment for a decent rent ($500-$600/month), but that is pretty hard to come buy unless you literally want to live in ghetto.
Move.
I'm currently in a 2 bed room with a fireplace.
$569
The one bedroom prior to this 45 min away was $375
Most wages have flatlined or dipped in the past few decades while inflation and stagflation have taken their tolls and many people become obsessed with one of the nation's most popular religions, consumerism.
Here's an alternate reason why Americans "have" to work longer hours and borrow more:
The average home size has tripled since the 1950's
It's standard and expected for new autos to all have all the bells and whistles (power everything, AC, CD player, ect).
Consumerism has saturated every aspect of our lives; it's nearly impossible to go anywhere without someone trying to sell you something by convincing you that you "need" it and should buy it NOW, on easy credit.
Movies and TV regularly portray people living in circumstances that would be impossble in real life (Think under and unemployed young adults living in a giant NYC loft apartment in "Friends", for example)
All are motivators and symptoms a society where what constitutes "success" is artificially inflated. With few exceptons we can still raise a family with a single 40 hour per week income, stay at home mom and a full belly.... if we lived in 900 sq foot 1950s suburban houses with 1 stripped down Buick, 1 B&W TV, (plastic pink flamingos are optional).
Chango, you said it best. Rep. to 'ya
I also agree with you other posters who'd like to see a return to basic small apartments and houses without all the silly bells and whistles. The one area where I'd like to see improvement is construction quality. Most of what they build is cheap crap!!! Maybe we could get better construction quality if we were willing to give up some square footage
I might add that the world of 1947-1977 mentioned in the article, divorce and out of wedlock births were much rarer and these 2 factors are killing the middle class. Just about every financial study shows that people who divorce and/or have kids out of wedlock save a lot less than people who get married and stay married. People with savings don't have to desperately jump at the first low paying job that's offered.
We don;'t need more People from Cali moving here and trying to make it what they are fleeing from!
There are many decent sized places in the south which are pretty close to that...
Uggh, no. I don't want to live in the South. If I move, it will be to another Western state (no further east than Colorado or New Mexico).
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