I’ll flip this around a bit and make a less exaggerated version:
Half the problem is that many politicians were born in like 1960 and still think that necessary spending only consists of rent and groceries.
The society we’ve built since then requires much more. Without a smartphone you can barely be a functioning member of society sometimes. Lots of places you have to own a car and pay for gas to get anywhere. The list goes on.
And what about social needs? There is no neighborhood bar to go and chill without spending money. There are fewer and fewer places where you can go and exist for free anymore. Capitalism and especially neoliberalism has robbed us of third places.
These politicians (or their voters) may remember a time when they could exist somewhat comfortably with a low wage. That’s just become much harder, so if rent is like half of your income nowadays, that no longer means you have the other half just for leisure spending.
I’ll flip this around a bit and make a less exaggerated version:
Half the problem is that many politicians were born in like 1960 and still think that necessary spending only consists of rent and groceries.
The society we’ve built since then requires much more. Without a smartphone you can barely be a functioning member of society sometimes. Lots of places you have to own a car and pay for gas to get anywhere. The list goes on.
And what about social needs? There is no neighborhood bar to go and chill without spending money. There are fewer and fewer places where you can go and exist for free anymore. Capitalism and especially neoliberalism has robbed us of third places.
These politicians (or their voters) may remember a time when they could exist somewhat comfortably with a low wage. That’s just become much harder, so if rent is like half of your income nowadays, that no longer means you have the other half just for leisure spending.