Description

1. The Contrast Between Pessimistic Future Outlook and Optimistic Economic Memory:

• The author observes a common human tendency to view the past through rose-tinted glasses while harboring concerns about the future.
• "When it comes to the economic climate folks tend to be pessimistic about the future and optimistic in memories. The exact opposite is true!" This opening statement immediately establishes the central argument.

1. Challenging the Nostalgia for the 1980s:

• The source directly confronts the popular notion of the 1980s as a universally prosperous economic era.
• It introduces anecdotal evidence of hardship during that time: "...many Americans were still hitchiking to get around, living from food stamps and collecting S&H green stamps, it was hardly better for the middle class." This aims to ground the discussion in less commonly remembered realities.

1. Presenting Comparative Economic Data (1989 vs. 2025):

• The author provides specific figures to compare the economic situation across different time periods.
• Coca-Cola Price: "In 1989 a 12 pack of coca-cola was $4.00 and now it is $8.00." This illustrates a 100% increase in the price of a common consumer good.
• Average Income: "The average income then was 30k per year. Now its about 70k." This demonstrates a significant increase in nominal average income (approximately 133%).
• Average Savings: "In 1989 the average person had $4600 in his or her savings account. Now in 2025 the average American has $63,000." This highlights a substantial increase in average savings.

1. Argument for Income Growth Outpacing Inflation:

• Based on the provided data, the author concludes that despite price increases, income growth has been more significant.
• "So yes prices went up 100% yet incomes far exceeded that!" This is the core of the author's argument regarding the overall improvement in the average American's financial situation.
• The rhetorical question, "If we deflate prices then can we deflate your income???" suggests that adjusting for inflation would still likely show a net gain in real income and purchasing power for the average individual.

1. Pessimistic Outlook from Associations (2024):

• Shifting to the near future, the source presents data indicating a negative economic outlook among associations regarding their members.
• "In 2024, just 13% of associations anticipate their members facing a more positive economic climate, compared to 25% anticipating a more challenging economic climate." This reveals a prevailing sense of concern about the economic conditions in the immediate future.

1. Real Estate as a Separate Issue Driven by "Greed":

• The author briefly touches upon the real estate market, characterizing it as distinct from the broader positive trends argued earlier.
• "The real estate is a whole other story and we are victims of our own greed!" This suggests a critical view of the factors driving the real estate market, attributing its challenges to potentially unsustainable practices or motivations.

• "When it comes to the economic climate folks tend to be pessimistic about the future and optimistic in memories. The exact opposite is true!"
• "...many Americans were still hitchiking to get around, living from food stamps and collecting S&H green stamps, it was hardly better for the middle class."
• "So yes prices went up 100% yet incomes far exceeded that!"
• "In 2024, just 13% of associations anticipate their members facing a more positive economic climate, compared to 25% anticipating a more challenging economic climate."
• "The real estate is a whole other story and we are victims of our own greed!"