When people say that their parents had it easy, they are just experiencing regression to the mean. amirite?

One issue I see is that it's measuring households real income, nowadays it's much more likely to have 2 major incomes in a household instead of one major income.

by Gold_Description_377 4 weeks ago

Wrong. Dual Income households have been rising since the 1960s and plateaued in the 1990s.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

All excellent point. It costs more now to "feel" middle class. That said, I think some things people consider luxuries are more like necessities in 2024.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I think you are right about that. Sticking with cell phones as an example, it is a common assumption that you'll have a smart phone with a data plan and access to email. Those things cost money and while they aren't strictly necessary, it is difficult to do a lot of things without them. It is hard to argue that a smart phone or internet access is a luxury even though people got by fine without them in the 1970s. A college education is another of those things. Before student loans were a thing, less than 10% of adults had a college degree. Now close to 40% have a degree and a lot of them (and people that didn't complete their degree) have student loan debt. When someone says that median incomes are significantly higher today, it is fair to ask if that factors in the increased educational expenses expected today. The cost of going to college may show up in the rate of inflation, but it doesn't account for the fact that many more people now are required to get a college degree for their chosen career. It's complicated. I don't think things today are nearly as bad as many young people seem to think, but neither are they as much better as many older people claim.

by Aleuschke 4 weeks ago

I'm amazed anyone recognized Gen X as even being separate from the Baby Boom generation.

by Odd-Ad-5166 4 weeks ago

Shhhh. If no one knows we exist they will leave us alone. Don't blow it.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Found one!

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

FRESH MEAT!

by Rosskertzmann 4 weeks ago

Looks like meats back on the menu boys!

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

GROND!

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

It's a trap!

by Better_Object6395 4 weeks ago

Speak for yourself when they start rounding people up I want to be clearly marked GenX. I had nothing to do with this nonsense. The Boomers have been running my life until I reached middle age and now, they want the trophy worker, so they are promoting the millennials that I trained.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Well put!

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

My parents bought a couple houses (primary residences, not rentals) with only one of them working and it was an average blue collar job. What was the average blue collar job? Because my Dad had an elementary school education, due to being on the road at 14 during the Great Depression, and we struggled with the constant factory job layoffs and inflation during the 70s. Not to mention the houses available in the 60s and 70s were tiny and had no central ac. We had what they call a 'corridor kitchen' which it exactly what it sounds like. Luckily Mom had a job with the county, but at that time they didn't have medical insurance and were raising 3 kids. No, we didn't have it 'easy'.

by Annual_Attorney_502 4 weeks ago

We didn't have health insurance either when I was growing up. The 72 hr cure was employed before seeking medical attention. If I still had a fever they would take me. At 2 I ended up with pneumonia.

by grahamlarue 4 weeks ago

Kids always bring medical bills.

by Annual_Attorney_502 4 weeks ago

Ya know it's funny. Gens Y and Z like to make fun of boomers for having low iqs as a result of corporate malfeasance (leaded gas fumes), but it turns out that gen X got the worst of it.

by Annual_Attorney_502 4 weeks ago

It's amazing how much your GDP skyrockets when all your competing industrial nations are flattened

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

It's also amazing how much better we still have it than the 1960s. You may have been able to get a home for $10,000 back in 1960. But I can get a computer that would cost $1,000,000 for $70 on amazon in 2 days and access all the worlds information on it.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I mean, sure we have more conveniences, but it seems like the necessities keep going up.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Not arguing that inflation isn't a huge problem. My only argument is today is by far better than yesterday for most people.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Well, yeah. I can agree with that. But I think that people are upset that it takes way more money and effort to be in the "middle" than it did 60-70 years ago. Sure the ceiling and the floor are higher over all, but people feel like they're closer to the floor than their parents and grandparents were despite being more educated and quite possibly working more hours.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I am also upset, but at the same time very happy I don't live in 1960. So I guess that means I am will to take the trade offs.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I think a big part why it is harder to be middle income in the US is that the third world is not being farmed anywhere near as effectively. United Fruit Co basically pillaged and plundered central America and people will say it was to enrich the rich owners (this is true) but it also supplied tinned fruit to Americans at a price that couldn't be achieved at the expense of the Central Americans. Same in the EU - French colonies no longer pay with their well being to bring cheap produce to European nationals anywhere near like they used to.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Having access to information ≠ having it better. Having it better would be better access to your basic needs. That is not the case. Food, shelter, transportation, healthcare. In the US, all of these categories have gotten worse. Sure there is more sophisticated healthcare, but it is not for everyone. Only those who can afford it. Homeless people usually have phones.. are you suggesting their lives are better than a person in the 60s because they have access to the internet and people in the 60s didn't? Your life isn't the internet.

by Formal_Kitchen1741 4 weeks ago

If there was a time machine that took you back to the 1960s permanently, would you do it?

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Well, for one thing, there was the draft. That could put a crimp in your lifestyle. A Holiday in Cambodia.

by grahamlarue 4 weeks ago

I'm not American so wouldn't affect me, but honestly I'd be fine getting drafted and killed. At least it'd be quicker.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Right because you can live in a computer. /s

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Someones never played WoW /s

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Or RuneScape

by Jamel45 4 weeks ago

You may have been able to get a home for $10,000 back in 1960. And that home was tiny, with no central ac.

by Annual_Attorney_502 4 weeks ago

Have you seen what 10,000 in rent will get you lately? That's 6 months of rent in a medium sized city in a 600sqft historic apartment with no ac.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I'd say greed in general. All anyone cares about is money. Zero humanity in todays society

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

"America had pretty much control". It had strong relationships. Maybe it had some control over Japan's economy.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

You're ignoring all the stats that don't work in your favor. Look at home prices/cost of living, relative to income, in different generations. Housing prices have gone up 20x, but income has only increased 8x. The cost of groceries has increased 10x. Yeah, it was a worse time if you weren't a straight white man, but life was much cheaper on average.

by elodytoy 4 weeks ago

It was a worse time in many other countries, in yours for a significant fraction of the demographic... yes, a more equal world means that those above what used to be the median will take a cut, while those who used to be below the median will get a little better. This is for the relative comparison. In absolute, we are all better off than 50 years ago So what's the solution? Making the poor poorer, exploiting population in former colonies, for the benefit of a well off minority; or accepting that we are not so bad but a more equal world also means that the rich (which include 99% of Americans) are to take a cut?

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Real income accounts for that. Housing prices have increased faster than inflation, but housing is not the only thing you spend your money on. You have to look at the whole basket of goods.

by Stephanyhansen 4 weeks ago

Technology is cheaper. The iPhone is cheaper today than it was when it came.out relative to inflation. Just because consumer electronics are cheaper due to scientific and manufacturing advances doesn't make it more affordable to own a house AND a computer. I'd take a 10,000 house and a 10,000 computer any day. I'd still be saving hundreds of thousands of dollars

by Miserable_Teach 4 weeks ago

My mum was easy.... is easy? Hasn't worked a day in her life.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Can confirm, their mother is easy

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Sorry but you used to be able to own a decent home and raise a family of two kids on one salary, from a job that would now require two full time workers to achieve.

by Maleficent-Bison 4 weeks ago

This was also primarily true for white male head of households, propped up by an invisible caste system where other demographics weren't afforded the same opportunities.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Not if you were a minority and couldn't get a loan Not to mention the house was full of lead and asbestos and the non worker would spend 20 hours a week on laundry and dishes alone

by Intrepid_Star_4598 4 weeks ago

Yes but that was a 1200 square foot home with no AC no Internet no dishwasher. The car they drove also had no AC no stereo no power windows backup camera. The home lifestyle didn't include flat screens in every room. High speed internet etc. You can't compare what the afforded on one income with what people are shopping for today. I actually rented a home that was built in the 50s for a while now central heat and air. 1150 square feet 3 bedrooms. When I left the owner sold it for 72k. So yes you can afford what they afforded on one salary. You just can't afford what is considered standard basic housing now.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Internet $360/ yr? Wow! You must not have Spectrum!! My internet is $90 a month, and that's over $1,000 a year

by Impossible_Sky 4 weeks ago

So 13,000 but still significantly less than buying a house today. I think you are missing the forest for the trees.

by Tillmanramona 4 weeks ago

I'm a Gen Xer and me and my Gen X bf bought our house years ago. Central air, so no window ac unit.

by Impossible_Sky 4 weeks ago

So you could afford a standard home on one salary, but you can't now.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

You can't raise you standards and expect to get it for the same amount of labor.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Productivity of labor and wage increases ran neck and neck until about the mid 70s. So we're producing more and not getting paid based on it.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Lmao. The things you listed would add 5% or less to the total cost of a home. What are you smoking?

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

You say that as if trading a 1200 square foot home with no ac and no dishwasher isn't 100x a better deal than people's rooms/apartments people rent and that they wouldn't make that trade in a heartbeat lol.

by sturcotte 4 weeks ago

More like 850 SF and if you wanted a third bedroom or second bathroom, you had to tack it on yourself in a really cheap way. I only wish our house had a second bathroom .....

by Juliana14 4 weeks ago

Important factor that a lot of people seem to ignore. The boomers definitely had an easier time getting a job, getting a house, raising a family etc. However, that's only for a small minority of the population across the world. In fact, from what I can tell, the boomer generation were the only ones who had it relatively easy. Lord knows their parents and grandparents worked their hands to the bone to provide for their families.

by Bulahnicolas 4 weeks ago

And for the rest of human history we didn't have the incredible automation and computing power we do today. All that productivity is getting concentrated instead of distributed.

by Oscarpfeffer 4 weeks ago

So your point is that the evidence definitely shows they did have it easy...

by LetterDangerous4938 4 weeks ago

I don't have any data to back this up…. But I feel like "real income" may be up today because most consumer goods have gotten much cheaper, or in some cases relatively cheaper. But it really seems like the essentials of housing, healthcare, and food (maybe) have skyrocketed. In the city I live in, while the US dollar has inflated by 100% since 1994, rents have gone up 600% since 1994.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

My argument is that it was never realistic to own a picket fence house on an entry level job. The statistics don't add up for that. If that was possible, why were there still impoverished people. What jobs did they work, if an entry level job bought a picket fence house?

by Stephanyhansen 4 weeks ago

My family was not well off at all. $20 in a shopping trip was enough to pay for groceries for 2 weeks. A 12 pack of soda was about $2. My mom who worked at a grocery store was able to afford purchasing a house and having money to spare after the mortgage payments and crap every month They really did have it better

by Teagan05 4 weeks ago

Everyone didn't own a home, because not everyone was granted a loan to do so. Not everyone could walk into a place and get a job

by anna25 4 weeks ago

I can remember a time when my parents were paying over 20% interest on their mortgage. I'm nowhere near that.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I am a Gen-X and older folks like myself, all too often, have this ridiculous notion that if they admit that times are different it somehow diminishes their struggles. Anyone who thinks we can make a 1-to-1 comparison between today and 40+ years ago is, at best, ignorant. If not delusional. I moved out of my parent's home as soon as I was legally able and despite working an entry-level, minimum-wage job I was able to find a studio apartment. I was poor AF and could barely afford food. But I wasn't homeless. My son is 18 and moving out on his own is impossible. Rent is so high that even if he has roommates he wouldn't be able to afford all of the basics like a car, insurance, utilities, cellphone, internet, food, etc. He wouldn't just be poor, he would be destitute.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I was born in the early sixties, we didn't own our home, and birthday parties weren't a thing. I do remember being allowed to invite a friend to a movie as a gift. Never felt at all poor, or deprived. We are now constantly shown and told about what we lack. Now get off of my lawn! ( kidding, just own a condo. )

by Wschneider 4 weeks ago

Home ownership being higher today is a useless statistic. What if all Home owners were 70 years old who bought their houses 40 years ago when they were more affordable?

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I think the biggest problem is that we are more aware of what we don't have than ever, so the reality vs expectations equation is thrown off and impacting happiness.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I'm not so sure it's regression to the mean as much as it's nostalgia. We sometimes remember the past as better than it was. Plus, we're more likely to remember our high school years or later, when our parents were probably at the height of their earning years. So it seemed better than it really was for them.

by mireilleaufderh 4 weeks ago

I wouldn't say my parents had it easy when I was young. But part of that was they had 5 kids in the house. It's no surprise when kids started to leave the nest they had more money.

by Boscoselena 4 weeks ago

Does those studies consider distribution of those incomes and average real earning per hour? Because the average perception is that at least in the last 30 years real income increased only for those who were already rich and that you need to work more hours for having a comparable quality of life

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Those houses weren't a million dollars when they bought them. Buying a house in a boring area and having a desirable area develop around it is something that is still happening today.

by Stephanyhansen 4 weeks ago

when I was in my 20s all my friends lived above their means. I had a 92 Honda thst I had to unplug from the battery so it didn't get stolen. I had extra money from not using Amazon, or app services. Today I am financially stable and my old friends hate life. old friends because of different life paths and goals. they wanted to be young moms, I did not. point, do what helps you for the future, and just because a majority is doing something doesn't make it a good idea.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

My father was born in 1943 during an occupation which they had to escape. So I wouldn't exactly say his life has been easier than mine.

by akuhn 4 weeks ago

this is all low information nonsense.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

As others have said, it's easy to make any argument when you only considerd statistics that work in your favour. Not worth debating

by Gleichnermason 4 weeks ago

This opinion lacks understanding of basic economics. Or perhaps OP only looks at government numbers. Look at debt to GDP … look at private and public debt vs CPI.

by bogisichverner 4 weeks ago

because op is an idiot and i'm going to assume was born into privilege and brags about earning it.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

In the 1980s a forklift driver or a teacher made 5x as much as an undocumented migrant worker picking tomatoes or washing dishes. Now they make 2x. Housing is affordable when you make 5x minimum wage.

by halvorsonmilan 4 weeks ago

Lol my Dad worked on an oil rig every summer to pay for college, and for one semester he ate only potatoes he got for free from the cafeteria. I think I have it easier.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

A network engineer making less than $20/hr? This is either made up or a you problem. Most people with that title make 6 figures.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

See that's the issue - in what world does dedicating a quarter of my life or a 3rd of my awake life equate to not deserving clean housing - food and healthcare? Like it doesn't matter what i do if it's 40 hours a week i deserve to live

by JazzlikeSyrup 4 weeks ago

1000% on the money. I don't care about cherry picked data. I don't care about whose fault it is. I want a house that is affordable for my kids to grow up in like the one my parents afforded due to being a two-income household in the 80s and 90s. It's not a lofty expectation to not want to rent someone else's property for the rest of my life to feed their passive income. It's exploitative, I don't even like paying interest, why would I want to pay rent?

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

I think "eat the rich" has just evolved into hate for boomers, as they're older and obviously wealthier. They had it hard too, we may have it harder.. but it's wrong to say they didn't have challenges. We have more civil right and a more tolerant society, which no one seems to remember when criticising boomers. Also, I think instagram makes everybody just wanna live the billionaire life. It's too romanticised. Gen alpha will be hating on millennials like this. And at that time, we'll be confused.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

My parents are boomers/gen x They are literally white trash, and poor, highschool education. But even they will admit that it is their fault that they are poor, due to bad money management. They literally tell me that in the 80s you could walk into pretty much any high paying job with no education and get hired. Just an anecdote from a not well off family

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Wow. Your folks fed you blatant untruths.

by Wschneider 4 weeks ago

Why would they lie? That was their reality.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Apologies for being rude. Did your folks indeed walk into high paying jobs?

by Wschneider 4 weeks ago

It's called the deflation of the great asset bubble.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Not a statistician but why does the first link say this: Thus, use caution when comparing median incomes above $12,000 for people or $18,000 for families and households for different years. Median incomes below those levels are more comparable from year to year since they have always been calculated using linear interpolation. For an indication of the comparability of medians calculated using Pareto interpolation with medians calculated using linear interpolation

by Life-Sentence 4 weeks ago

Having a phone isn't what women need in a life partner.

by bogisichverner 4 weeks ago

Someone cracked the code...

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

So true. Watch the Chris rock show sometimes.

by laverna37 4 weeks ago

Gen x bish!.0h snap

by marcelinohowe 4 weeks ago

Home ownership isn't a great measuring stick for "ease" of yesterday vs today. There are a lot of nuanced factors that play into that. There are far more homes today than there was then so it's easier for the percentage of people owning homes to be higher. I think a better measuring stick is what percentage of boomers owned a home at a set age like 30 vs Millennials at the same age.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Boomers and Gen X had more reliable opportunities for growth than Millennials and Gen Z. College was more affordable and actively encouraged people to attend for STEM fields, unions were far stronger back then with more bargaining power, and yes homes were in fact cheaper (my grandparents, for example, bout their home for a couple hundred thousand dollars, and now the house has a value of two million). For Millennials and Gen Z, college requires financial aid of any sort even if you want to go to a community college (my tuition costs for my Jr college is $1500 this upcoming quarter), trade schools are also expensive, with certification tests often costing a few hundred dollars in order to take them (with no guarantee that you will pass), and working your way up the ladder from a minimum wage job is still very rare and not a good idea if you don't have anyone supporting you. If anything it is easier to start a start up nowadays, but running a start up is not reliable at all, especially if you have zero experience in running a business. This is what people mean when they say the older generations have it easier. The opportunities to grow and solidify a foundation for yourself was a lot more attainable back then than it is now. This is from someone who is just now starting to solidify that foundation for himself, and I am 25. A lot of Boomers and Gen X were able to solidify that foundation right out of high school.

by sammieschowalte 4 weeks ago

Well unfortunately yes our parents did have it easier that's not really an opinion based thing. The rate of inflation has skyrocketed since the time of our forefathers there dollar just got them further than ours. Now you may think but average income has gone up but keep in mind average income in America is everyone's income added together and divided by the population which is a problem because well the country has the highest amount of billionaires and they skew this number. Looking median and you are in the 30k range according to most places. Prices have SKYROCKETED since there era as well. You also brought housing but keep in mind many houses are being bought up by companies instead of people something that wasn't an issue back in there day. Homeownership and retirement is slowly becoming a wet dream for later generations. Now you made a point at the end about logically if it was so good why would people live in poverty. Couple things just because overall America is doing well doesn't mean there aren't always gonna be people struggling. There were some people doing well in the Great Depression and 2008 recession after all.

by Rick28 4 weeks ago

I mean my parents bought a house in the 80s making $4 and $6 an hour

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Home owner ship is higher but they don't truly own it until it's paid. Accès to one is better buying one is much harder.

by Emergency_Dealer 4 weeks ago

They had a period on unparalleled prosperity and growth... that being said we got it pretty good. It's like a prince complaining he's not a king.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

My father was able to support a family of four, buy a house, all whole working 40 hrs a week and going to school part time.

by Living_Touch_3832 4 weeks ago

I can't believe my dad was able to have a house, support a stay at home wife with three kids, and have two cars, save for retirement, all with a 75k salary in 2003

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

75k in 2003 was nearly double median. That's the equivalent of making 130-140k today. You can do all that on 130k today.

by Stephanyhansen 4 weeks ago

where?

by Kelly48 4 weeks ago

Medium sized city in Wisconsin

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Then that's not too surprising.

by Kelly48 4 weeks ago

Here's the crazy thing: I am certain that I have it easier than my kids will. At the current rate of increase, college will cost about $450,000 for a regular STEM degree at any decent university. There simply won't be homes for my kids to buy. An LLC will pay 20% above asking, site unseen, whenever something goes on the market. I am 100% ready for my kid to live at home forever, with a brilliant career as a plumber.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

My super well-off middle school teacher and factory machine operator parents... Yeah my income is better but not so much better that I can afford a house like they could.

by bulah10 4 weeks ago

Home ownership rate is higher today Yes, and what generation owns the homes? Make it apples to apples and compare home ownership rates by age bracket across the years

by Kathryne86 4 weeks ago

10 years ago you could buy a nice house for $100,000, that same house today now costs $500,000 and the wages are still the same so it is out of reach for most people in this generation who need to take out a loan and just can't afford it.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

100% agree. That's not a good thing though we should be making progress

by corkerymervin 4 weeks ago

Boomers lived through the Great Depression?

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

The last years of it

by Impossible_Sky 4 weeks ago

I am not so good at numbers but where is the overlap between 1929 to 1939 and 1946 to 1964?

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

You sound like a jackass honestly. No one is saying that you didn't work for it, but what is being said is that when you worked hard for what you have it was much more attainable. I am a millennial, have had a job since I was 13, worked full time while I was in school full time, I save and live within my means. I now make 6 figures and where I live there is absolutely no hope of purchasing a home with my current income. That's what we are "whining" about. I worked my ass off my whole life, have been relatively successful and still have no hope of buying a house because of the cost of homes currently.

by Arolfson 4 weeks ago

I don't know anyone who had it particularly easy in the 70's and 80's. I had a fairly privileged childhood with foreign holidays etc but my dad worked all hours to pay for them. They struggled to pay their mortgage at first as most people now do but the work ethic was stronger back then with, I feel, more people willing to make something of themselves rather than moaning about how life has done them wrong

by reganward 4 weeks ago

This is so flawed

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

It's also easy to discount work in the past as less hard than work in the present, since it's already done. I don't see why it has to be framed as a competition of grievances. Every generation's struggle is different. Saying one generation has it worse doesn't make it less of a struggle.

by Anonymous 4 weeks ago

Ok boomer.

by Reed91 4 weeks ago

Here come the excuses…

by Jjohnson 4 weeks ago