Weltzeitgeist

'Part 1: My Life Is a Lie
How a Broken Benchmark Quietly Broke America'
https://www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-life-is-a-lie

Very good short essay about living as a household of four in 2025. This explains a lot about the material conditions the people actually struggle with. Give it a read!

Part 1: My Life Is a Lie

How a Broken Benchmark Quietly Broke America

Yes, I give a fig... thoughts on markets from Michael Green
Nov 24 at 1:47pmWeb
Show threadWeltzeitgeistNov 24
@larsweisbrod Könntest Du Dir auch mal geben hinsichtlich Deiner Beschäftigung mit Inflation.
Show threadWeltzeitgeistNov 24
@lostgen @ingo Klare Empfehlung, interessante Gedanken.
Show threadJürgen HubertNov 24

@wackJackle

Things could be a lot better in Germany.

But we can always say: "At least we don't live in the USA!"

Show threadkami_kadseNov 24

@juergen_hubert @wackJackle

you can say that and ignore, that in Germany the definition of poverty is *also* arbitrary (60% of median income, or ~36k€/a after taxes) and too low, at least for densly urban regions.

Show threadJürgen HubertNov 24

@kami_kadse @wackJackle

Definitely, a lot of things are bad in Germany.

But they haven't reached the level of an US-style shit show, either. Although I suspect #Merz will try to get there.

Show threadWeltzeitgeistNov 24
@juergen_hubert @kami_kadse And there is also a Valley of Death in Germany. I don't remember the exact figures, but between approximately €2,800 and €5,200 gross per month, people (families) see little difference in their net income because government assistance decreases and taxes increase.
Show threadErik AblesonNov 24
@wackJackle When I lived in the US *20 years ago*, this was apparent to me watching my colleagues in ostensibly well paying jobs. A single uninsured medical emergency and an entire family is thrown under the economic bus. And this was before the insane housing market explosion
Show threadDror BedrackNov 24
@wackJackle I do not like this article. The writer seems to use a little bit of truth to whitewash a lot of lies, and smells very conservative.
Seems like he supports a "single income household", and cutting both taxes and the social safety net (or "benefits").
Also, it's like a preview for a paid subscription something. A kind of coaching for "let me teach you how to be rich". Seems like grifting.
Show threadWeltzeitgeistNov 24

@DrorBedrack I also think that he has conservative views or he is probably right wing on many issues. I think that he can't offer real solutions to the problem.

Though, I can acknowledge his argument and the data he put together. It does explain a lot what's broken in the USA. I don't have to like the guy; the information is still well thought out.

Show threadらりるれろNov 24
@wackJackle and yet politicians are wondering why people choose not to have children anymore. big mystery wrapped in an enigma
Show threadWeltzeitgeistNov 24
@p0intz3r0 Or why Trump won in 2024/ Mamdani in New York..
Show threadErik AblesonDec 1

@wackJackle Interesting side note. My mom used to work for Statistics Canada so I asked how the poverty line was calculated in Canada and she found me this link: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1110006601

Considerably more nuanced from the US version, but still relatively low numbers with the exploding cost of housing.

Market Basket Measure (MBM) thresholds for the reference family by Market Basket Measure region, component and base year

Market Basket Measure (MBM) thresholds for the reference family by MBM region and base year. Total thresholds as well as thresholds for the food, clothing, transportation, shelter and other expenses components are presented, in current and constant dollars, annual.

Show threadErik AblesonDec 1
@wackJackle Although as I’m reviewing the methodology, the high Canadian urban rents are offset by the existence of public transportation and universal health care as compared to the US estimate in the original article of this thread.