Productivity grew 85% between 1979 and 2019. Worker pay grew 13%. The math isn't broken. It's working exactly as designed. They never figured out how to measure what knowledge workers actually produce. Turns out that was more profitable than solving it.

The system doesn't need you to start asking question or feeling rebellious. It needs you tired, distracted, and just comfortable enough not to riot. What looks like a personal failing — the drinking, the scrolling, the DoorDash habit you can't kick, is actually a dark version of consumer manipulation.

The last time the American economy genuinely created additional wealth for the average American was post-World War 2. That window of time only lasted about 30 years. Ever since, there has been a slow dismantling of that lifestyle.