| This may be true, but to be fair... 50 years ago, 70 years ago, an enormous series of treatments we now have, did not exist. And even disease treatment options, even knowing how some diseases worked? Nope. So medical care was less costly, because, there was literally less to be done. And people died at home more often too, as a result. So naturally medical care was less costly. And housing, the average family did not have a ginormous, 6000sq foot house. Try 1000 sq foot, 1500 sq foot as a norm. So sure, less cost. Same with all these fancy dodads. Yes, 100% housing is more expensive due to low rate mortgages, and other reasons. But in non-crazy priced locations, you can still build a small 150k, 250k house with land all in. Some of it is indeed changing wages vs costs, but some is "more" vs wage. |
> Fifty years ago that average person would have been able to support a family, buy a house, and not live under the constant threat of bankruptcy from a surprise medical bill.
I want to circle back to this. I read your comment assuming you are arguing that now things are "more" (cost++) this ideal is now less obtainable or unobtainable.
Do you think that the average person (median wage earner) should be able to support themselves in this way? Should we let go of this ideal as "old fashioned"?