The American household debt primarily consists of:
– student loans
– credit card debt
– mortgages
– personal loans
– car debt.

I think that’s all aspects of life. To live is to be in debt, apparently.

The average household debt for 2021 is about $53,000.
Total, that’s 15.58 * trillion * dollars with 333 * billion dollars added in the last four months of 2021.
– That’s up 7% from 2020.

Pre-Covid, the household debt was 14.14 trillion.

There’s little wonder why a high number of Americans live from paycheck to paycheck. Brandon, in his blessed wisdom, can be blamed for this as well.

I’d imagine that, during the pandemic, a lot of Americans became used to assistance. This could be from free meals, rent negation, and – of course – the all might stimulus checks. Those who struggled pre-Covid had to have felt some sort of relief despite the lockdowns. If they continued to work or took a position at the sudden highly lucrative job of working for DoorDash, smart Americans may have even made a profit if they were willing to do so.

The “Fight for 15” movement that was so popular in 2018 and 2019 has been mostly implemented. Between the lack of workers and competition with other employers, most companies (that I’ve seen) start employees at $15 or, at least, close to it. I know the local Mcdonald’s hires teens at $13 and adults at $15.

But, the joke is on the American population. With the continuing surge of inflation, the dollar’s value continues to decrease. The much-coveted $15 an hour is the new $10, which is probably what starter jobs were at in the mid-2010s. If anything, it’s worse now as the $15 per hour could place the employee and her family in a higher tax bracket. More dollars are allocated to state, local, and federal.

With more money being poured into groceries, gas, and rent, the $15 per hour could leave less in the bank account than ever before. While, mentally, the American may feel that she is actually doing better. $15 is a higher number than $10. It’s actually a type of self-deception. We’ve been trained that the higher the number is the better to a degree. This is why golf is somewhat confusing.

Anyway, with the stimulus checks gone and rent coming due, Americans are at jobs that aren’t making as much as they thought. It’s going to force Americans back into the workforce after two years.

And, since the $15 per hour isn’t government policy, it will dissipate. Companies, big and small, should there be any small companies left, are facing inflation and loss of income from the past two years as well. The “Fight for $15” was a political and social movement. That has been superseded by Ukraine, inflation, illegal immigration, and just general violence.

There’s only so much the news feeds can cover and, since the news dictates what some people find to be important, the $15 an hour is being snowballed.

I would not be surprised if pay decreases. To keep a standard of living, the Americans will have to sacrifice what very little disposable income they have, if they have any, and being to work multiple jobs. This would be doubly true for the food and retail industries although I think that most industries would be affected in some way.

If inflation is allowed to continue unchecked, it’ll be a losing battle. Gas will continue to climb. Food is feared to become scarce. All the while, people will seek shelter by spending money via micro-transactions and other entirely unnecessary vices because they ‘deserve’ it.

Games, trips, alcohol, marijuana (where legal), shopping… are all ways of controlling life and will be reputed to help mental health. When, in truth, it’s just a way to continue to control the masses.

“I deserve it” will be the new silent rallying cry. And they probably do. They probably do deserve it although it continues to lead to financial ruin and reliance on outside forces. It doesn’t build personal strength. But, enslaves the person to outside stimulus, dopamine hits, and could — just maybe — lessen the pushback against the inevitable government control.

Ignorance through false media is happiness.
Submissiveness is tranquility.