> where your parent comment specifically claimed that wages were less important than "how much work it takes to buy something similar, like steak, compared to the past". It misses the point

The story is better on the consumer goods side (vs. housing, health care, higher education...) Consumers would probably be in much worse shape without cheap goods from the likes of Walmart, Ikea, Amazon, etc.

> inequality isn't necessarily bad if all needs are met.

The interesting progress of automation is that it's moving up in terms of job salary, while a smaller number of new jobs is created at the top and at the bottom.