Recently, Michael Green (a prominent market analyst) published a post explaining why people are suffering so severely economically. He shows how the cost of living has skyrocketed over the past few decades (even though our technology— which should ostensibly reduce the cost and difficulties of life— has improved during that time)..

yesigiveafig.com/p/part…

One of the biggest takeaways of his essay is that if you are a family of four in America and not earning at least $140,000 a year, your family is below the survival line.

$140,000!

I think there are two major root issues/cancers that cause this: neoliberal economics and interest-based monetary systems, which combined, allow wealth of the average value producer (a laborer, worker, or small business) to siphon upwards towards those that own and create capital (bankers, financiers, private equity, mega corporations, etc.). As a result, work is not monetarily valued in this world, but rather capital and resources are.

The consequences of such a system is that a decent person or family just trying to do an honest day’s work is metaphorically drowning, taking one stroke up towards the surface of the pool, and getting sucked back down three, four, or five strokes.

I wrote a post discussing this exact issue, and how the design and incentives of our current economic system is not conducive to living a healthy, dignified, happy life if you are an average Joe. But there are better alternatives:

I also wrote a post about the harms of interest-based monetary systems (which is considered riba in Islamic Arabic, and usury in Judeo-Christian religions). That post can be found here:

“We have created a system where the only way to survive is to be destitute enough to qualify for aid (in America), or rich enough to ignore the cost. Everyone in the middle is being cannibalized. The rich know this… and they are increasingly opting out of the shared spaces” -Michael Green