The problem is one of perception.
People don't feel like they're doing well economically unless they are moving up relative to everyone else.
Think about that.
It's not possible for everyone to be "above average" in their income or wealth.
How big is the average home today? In 1950? In 1970? In 1990?
How many hours is the average work-year today? In 1950? In 1970? In 1990?
How many cars does the average household have? In 1950? In 1970? In 1990?
What is the national obesity rate? In 1950? In 1970? In 1990?
We have excess consumer electronics, food, and conveniences galore.
The rest of the world just happens to be catching up with us.
The fact that the rest of the world is becoming richer does not make anyone in this nation poorer.
We should celebrate the fact that so many of our fellow human beings are enjoying ever-increasing standards of living.
There are several types of envy, among them are envy of those who have more than you do, and envy of those who may soon have as much as you do.
In the not-so-distant future, their will be a several billion people in Asia clamoring for goods...which are made in the USA.
They will soon have disrectionary income and want to spend it.
A happy thought of the day:
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