US income inequality continues to grow

[*Nately120*]

(07-24-2018, 09:49 AM)Beaker Wrote: Pretty much nailed it. When people say they aren't paid a living wage thats bs. Change your spending habits, or get a different (or additional) job. You still have freedom to change your job, which allows income mobility.

Yes, but it depends on what people consider living.  When you work a low wage job and strive to live within your means, your real life and social progression can take a massive hit.  Like I said, I ate oatmeal for dinner, relied on public transportation, and lived in a single room while I was attempting to work my way up the income ladder.  I wasn't spending my 20s looking for a meaningful mate, or stimulating the local economy much, because I was paranoid about overextending my resources.

Again, it's America and I can blame myself foremost for my failures, but as much as people say they respect the concept of people living within their means, people who live within their means miss out on a lot of what our consumeristic society expects of "real people."  Sure, there are some women out there who like the idea of getting a cup of coffee and walking around the park as a date, but that sort of reluctance to engage in the proverbial dance that is our spend spend spend culture that makes you look like a fringe citizen.

This is why I'm not surprised when people don't live within their means.  Not having a house/car/education/family you can't pay for because you'd rather live within your means doesn't get much real-life respect.  No one came up to my mother and said "Wow, I hear your son is in the city really living within his means...that's great!" so much as it was "So when is your son going to settle down, buy a house and get married and have kids?  What's wrong with him?" 

It's a genuine catch-22 when the same people who tell you to live within your means complain that today's youth are killing the housing market, they aren't buying diamonds, they aren't traveling or going on vacation, they aren't supporting big money-makers like tobacco or casinos, they aren't going the extra mile to buy American or buy local, and they aren't getting married and having enough kids. Sorry, I was waiting until I felt secure enough to do those things.
Ah, but I digress.