What the #MiddleClass probably knows instinctively, explained explicitly: #USPol
> At $40,000, you are drowning, but the state gives you a life vest. At $100,000, you are drowning, but the state says you are a “high earner” and ties an anchor to your ankle called “Market Price.”
https://www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-life-is-a-lie/
Would be interesting to learn, whether this pattern/problem occurs in Germany as well.
Mind blown: The blogpost also contains a (to me completely new) take on the impacts of #CoVID lockdowns:
> In April 2020, the US personal savings rate hit a historic 33%. Economists attributed this to stimulus checks. But the math tells a different story...
> • Childcare ($32k): Suspended...
> • Commuting ($15k): Suspended…
> ... earning $80,000 suddenly felt rich ... because the leak in the bucket was plugged.
Which somewhat explains the rage later.
Edit: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/29/poverty-line-green/ for context
