[doggosphere]

Inflation is absolutely a "bad" thing in the same way that gaining weight from eating ice cream is "bad". It is the consequence of indulgence. An increase in the cost of living is generally never a "good" thing.

The question is if it is controlled and the tradeoffs worthwhile.

[xapata]

No, inflation is more like the weight gain of a child growing to an adult. The metaphor breaks down at adulthood.

> An increase in the cost of living is generally never a "good" thing.

Inflation is only an increase in nominal, not real cost. If I give you a dollar more and charge you a dollar extra, then you haven't lost any purchasing power.

[doggosphere]

Except real wages aren't actually increasing for most people.

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/07/for-most-us...

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/despite-wage-growth-the-av...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickwwatson/2018/09/25/real-...

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/aftertax-income-is-barely-...

[xapata]

That's been true since the 70s, but it's not an intrinsic feature of inflation. In fact, this time it may be different, and that's what all the CEOs are complaining about.

[cheeseomlit]

But I'm not getting a dollar more, I'm just getting charged a dollar extra. Wages will never actually keep up with inflation, they certainly haven't thus far. In part because government inflation statistics are not trustworthy

[xapata]

Government inflation statistics do report that wages have inflated more slowly than a consumption basket since the 70s, on average.

If you want to talk about consumer price inflation as distinct from wage inflation, do so, but be specific.