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triceratopsyesterday at 4:15 PM2 repliesview on HN

> Its median income is at an all-time high. Its median dispoable income is at an all-time high. Its housing wealth is at an all-time high.

Then why is everyone so damned unhappy all the time?


Replies

epistasisyesterday at 5:08 PM

The combination of median disposable income and housing wealth being at all time highs is a big part of it!

Those with housing have locked others out of housing, causing lots of "wealth" that those with housing don't even consider to be wealth. They think it's just "normal" and don't realize the massive advantage it gives them over everybody stuck renting.

But that's symptomatic of all the other inequality. Housing is the biggest expense, and most obvious form of rent extraction that the wealthy use to exploit those without wealth, but it's not the only one.

xienzeyesterday at 4:27 PM

The US used to be a much more homogeneous country, which certainly makes it a lot easier for everyone to be on the same page because of shared cultural values.

That has changed dramatically in the past few decades and with it, places where Americans can find common ground.

Other western countries are going down the exact same path, just a bit behind us.

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