There’s a conundrum that economists and political strategists have been chewing on for more than a year: The economy is good, but Americans say it’s lousy.
I was at a Gamestop recently to turn in some old games, and five people ahead of me (and at least 30 years younger) were all in line to buy new PS5s. I’m not judging them but, they were so young and as someone twice their age, I wonder how they afford it. I couldn’t and I’m pretty well off financialy now. It’s not my job to go on a boomer rant about it - but it’s true that people are in some ways overspending more now (in my view).
Recently at work a woman complained she had spent bus fare only to show up our hospital and be told her appointment was the next day. She was moaning about how she had to spend money for another bus fare back again - while pulling out the latest brand new iphone and headbuds from her Gucci hand bag (i’m not kidding).
People complain about the economy partly because they’re conditioned to think of any non-discretionary spending as a pain in the ass. It’s always been this way. I’m 60 now and I don’t remember a time when the economy was better than today - but I do remember gas lines in the 70s and how bad the economy was back then. A new game system would have been out of the question for families back then, even if such things existed then.
I was at a Gamestop recently to turn in some old games, and five people ahead of me (and at least 30 years younger) were all in line to buy new PS5s. I’m not judging them but, they were so young and as someone twice their age, I wonder how they afford it. I couldn’t and I’m pretty well off financialy now. It’s not my job to go on a boomer rant about it - but it’s true that people are in some ways overspending more now (in my view).
Recently at work a woman complained she had spent bus fare only to show up our hospital and be told her appointment was the next day. She was moaning about how she had to spend money for another bus fare back again - while pulling out the latest brand new iphone and headbuds from her Gucci hand bag (i’m not kidding).
People complain about the economy partly because they’re conditioned to think of any non-discretionary spending as a pain in the ass. It’s always been this way. I’m 60 now and I don’t remember a time when the economy was better than today - but I do remember gas lines in the 70s and how bad the economy was back then. A new game system would have been out of the question for families back then, even if such things existed then.