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Originally Posted by PepsiFree
And I would argue that your perception of a consumerist society (daily coffee, new TVs, starter homes, new vehicles) is completely from a point of privilege. The problem isn't the consumerist society, it's... sadly... that large sections of the population no longer have the option to even participate in that consumerist society. I agree that what you mentioned is a problem, but it's a very middle-upper class problem. There are people who work 40+ hours a week and cannot afford any of what you've mentioned. That's the issue.
It also seems like a constant red herring. Older generations seem fixated on consumerism as a key problem holding young people and people with lower incomes back. "Stop buying the new phone every year! Stop with the avocado toast!" It's a sign to me that someone has no clue how people are actually living and the significance of the problems they face. The issue is not that people need to be paid more because they're wasting money on a new phone every year.
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But a lot of consumer behaviours
have increased dramatically across the board. Meals purchased outside the home have increased five-fold in the last 30 years. It isn’t just rich people going out to Earl’s, it’s 20-somethings who work in retail getting pho, schwarma, or pizza 5 days a week instead of bringing a bag lunch. Clothes used to be so expensive that people actually patched and mended them instead of picking up three new t-shirts for $20. Airplane vacations used to be an occasional indulgence of the affluent. I know some people still can’t afford them today, but a far broader segment of the population got on a plane to go somewhere hot for a vacation in 2018 than in 1982.
Most 30 year olds today would find the average standard of living in 1982 pretty dire. Everything except real estate and education was more expensive, less accessible, and came in far less variety. I’m not sure people really appreciate now dramatically discretionary consumer spending has increased in recent decades. The working class today eat at KFC and shop at Winner’s. 40 years ago they made tuna casserole last four days and most of their clothes were hand-me-downs.