[DarkKomunalec]

> I feel so bad for those rich westerners with a house, running water, 24/7 electricity, free schools, etc.

Yeah, until western countries have fallen to the level of the worst parts of Somalia, we really shouldn't complain.

[yummyfajitas]

If you think things are so bad, surely you can name a single good or service that westerners have less of today than they had in 1970. What is that good or service?

[anon1385]

Housing.

In the UK home ownership is lower for people under 45 than it was (for people of the same ages) in 1981.

For example 62.1% of 25-34 year olds owned a home in 1981. In 2012 42.8% of 25-34 year olds owned a home.

[DarkKomunalec]

Education: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/14/college-costs-media...

Healthcare: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/03/health-care-costs-_...

Housing: http://www.jparsons.net/housingbubble/ - compared to the rise in wages, this cost increase has been much more moderate, but it's still an increase.

All while productivity has grown: http://blogs.reuters.com/macroscope/2012/05/04/the-u-s-produ...

[yummyfajitas]

Nope. College enrollment has never been higher. Your source claims it is less "affordable", but clearly far more people can afford it. Weird.

http://www.mybudget360.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/colleg... http://www.mybudget360.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Enroll...

Your second article says health care is more expensive than other countries, not that fewer people consume it than some past period. Looking at real resources (e.g. # of health care employees) suggests more people consume it, not less.

https://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/img/3rdparty/2013/7...

Your third source does not claim fewer people consume housing than at some past point. In fact, people consume more housing than ever before - houses have nearly doubled in size since 1973, even as # of people in the household decreased.

https://www.nar.realtor/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2007032701?Op...

Or if you prefer primary sources: https://www2.census.gov/prod2/ahsscan/h150-80e.pdf https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/2013/factsheets...

Care to try again?

[DarkKomunalec]

It takes a special kind of logic to look at rising prices, stagnant wages, and conclude that things are better.

Oh, no, wait, you didn't say better/worse, you said 'goods that we have less of'. So even if people bankrupt themselves over a broken leg, or go into decades of debt for a home or education, everything is just peachy! Even better, actually, since we can add credit availability to the list of things we have more of! http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-credit-card-...

There's also more jobs: https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/images/2012/ted_20120731a.png ! Gone are the dreary days when you were set for life by your 2nd job - these days you could find yourself looking for a new job any moment - how exciting!

Edit:

Oh, and there's more prisons, too! https://www.prisonpolicy.org/prisonindex/overviewincarcerati...

I guess I stand corrected, we have more of everything, and shouldn't complain, even if corporation's obscene wealth allows them to buy politicians and regulatory agencies. Who cares how concentrated power and wealth are, as long as there's enough bread and circuses.

[yummyfajitas]

Scroll up. You compared us to Somalia. In Somalia, they don't have all these things.

I'm not sure how you believe it's possible that consumption is up while compensation is stagnant and prices are higher. Could you explain - with numbers - how you propose that standard accounting identities are violated?

[DarkKomunalec]

>I'm not sure how you believe it's possible that consumption is up while compensation is stagnant and prices are higher.

I cited sources with statistics, not my personal beliefs.

But to answer your question - the accounting is explained by an increase in debt (see the businessinsider article I linked earlier), and by the fact that what's spent on education/housing/healthcare, isn't spent elsewhere.

And I'm well aware we're better off than Somalia - that was my point. We don't have to wait until we're not before we start complaining. Should we do nothing but feel guilty we live in decent countries, until there's no-one who's worse off?