Comments on: Is U.S. Middle Class Income Actually Stagnating? https://fourpillarfreedom.com/is-u-s-middle-class-income-actually-stagnating/ Sharing insights on how to grow wealth and gain freedom. Mon, 21 Oct 2019 19:32:19 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 By: Zach https://fourpillarfreedom.com/is-u-s-middle-class-income-actually-stagnating/#comment-37872 Sun, 09 Dec 2018 21:58:48 +0000 https://fourpillarfreedom.com/?p=32430#comment-37872 In reply to Dan.

Thanks Dan! I’m glad you found this analysis so useful! And I agree, it’s easy to twist the numbers to tell a certain story.

]]> By: Dan https://fourpillarfreedom.com/is-u-s-middle-class-income-actually-stagnating/#comment-37647 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 03:59:18 +0000 https://fourpillarfreedom.com/?p=32430#comment-37647 Zach, this is a great compilation of this data! I feel inundated daily by facebook posts about how bad it is, but when I look at it critically I feel like we are doing better. I’ve taken some stats & research classes (I know you have too!) and one of the first things we learn is “figures can lie and liars can figure”! I really believe the emotional bearing the “doom & gloom” articles pain gets people riled up to march instead of go to work. I do agree that it’s not perfectly level for everyone, but the opportunity IS there for most! Well-written article!
dan

]]> By: Zach https://fourpillarfreedom.com/is-u-s-middle-class-income-actually-stagnating/#comment-37571 Sat, 01 Dec 2018 13:24:09 +0000 https://fourpillarfreedom.com/?p=32430#comment-37571 In reply to Caveman.

You bring up some interesting points. I don’t have research or data to back up your statements, but I imagine that they’d be true to an extent. People compare themselves to their neighbors, not their ancestors, so they’re often unhappy if their income is rising at a slower pace than those around them, even if their income is increasing in absolute real terms.

]]> By: Caveman https://fourpillarfreedom.com/is-u-s-middle-class-income-actually-stagnating/#comment-37369 Mon, 26 Nov 2018 22:59:33 +0000 https://fourpillarfreedom.com/?p=32430#comment-37369 I wonder if the issue here is the difference between perception and reality. More specifically is it that the Middle Classes don’t feel like they are better off? I saw a study looking at GDP and happiness. What that suggested was that happiness was related to the rate of increase in GDP, not it’s absolute level.

If you take that to a micro level that would suggest that someone whose income has risen from say $10,000 to $60,000 over five years will be happier than someone whose income has gone from $55,000 to $60,000 even though the have less money overall.

Does the stagnation narrative arise because middle class incomes are not rising as fast as the middle classes believe they should – not because they are actually stagnating?

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