Comment by kemotep
1 day ago
Median household income in the 1940’s seems to be something like $2,600. Using your inflation figure that is ~$59800 in today’s dollars.
2024 there seems to be an estimated ~$75,000 median household income.
Housing and cars are also apples and oranges seeing that the average family size and sq footage for even 50’s homes is completely different than today. Today fewer people are living in significantly larger spaces than was normal back then.
Good points.
For houses I think I expect to get better product for same “real” dollars, like with cars or TV. But given somewhat limited supply of houses this can be wrong assumption.
As for income tbh I read it more like real income fell a lot, rather than a proof that inflated dollars reflect reality well. I.e i think if income inequality didn’t grow as much as it did 2024 median household income would have been much higher which would have increased different between inflation figure from real one further.
Today fewer people are living in significantly larger spaces than was normal back then
That's just because everyone is fat now, so larger living spaces are required.
This is what passes for "intellectual contributions" for Hackernews. Notice there is zero dang's preaching about the values of HN to posts like these. He reserves his warnings for things that are popular but also goes against his fascist administration. This site is chock full of outright bigotry but it's acceptable as long as you present it politely.
Outside of the humour involved, what is your precise complaint?
You do realise that, especially in the US, almost everyone is fat, yes? That there is an epidemic of this?
And that it is getting worse.
As a general rule, many people considered lean today, would be considered fat 100 years ago.
This is the joke, and also the truth. And amusingly if you visit these smaller, older houses, you will actually find narrower internal doors, stairs and halls in many of them.
Even bedrooms are smaller, and were meant for smaller beds.
Thus humorous thought then lends to the idea, is the lair's size and dimensions a contributor to size? We know environment can cause genetic expression, after all.
The comment is what you make of it.
You've taken offence for some reason. Why?
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