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Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?

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Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?

#21

Post by jhamburger »

NickPollard wrote: post #15
jhamburger wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It depends on whether this is a time-travel question, or a 'when would you rather be born' question. You wouldn't miss things that you don't know exist.

That doesn't seem relevant though - you have to judge 2011 against 1973 based on the conditions of the time. In 500 BC I wouldn't know about vaccines so I wouldn't miss them, but that doesn't change the fact that living in a world with vaccines is a hell of a lot nicer.

That works for vaccines but what about smartphones? Do they really make the world a hell of a lot nicer, or are they just inextricably tied into our lifestyles?

Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?

#23

Post by cabalamat »

forinti wrote: post #18
Vivtek wrote: post #4

Rich in 1900 is my choice. I'll bet the food then rocked - I'll just take one year's income at face value and the house I'm living in now, without 111 years of intervening decay. The rich industrialist who lived here in 1900 will have to find new digs. But no contest. I'd turn back that clock right now.

You'd change your mind very fast as soon as you needed a dentist...

Or a doctor.

Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?

#24

Post by orangecat »

jhamburger wrote: post #12
NickPollard wrote: post #9

Maybe it's just the fact that I'm a hacker and a child of the digital age, but I'd take the ability to have a 1ghz computer in my pocket connected to the entire world for a couple of hundred bucks, against paying thousands of dollars for a machine that probably can't even do truetype rendering.

It depends on whether this is a time-travel question, or a 'when would you rather be born' question. You wouldn't miss things that you don't know exist.

You wouldn't miss things that you don't know exist.

I "miss" not having a heads-up display in my glasses or contacts or optic nerve, and not being able to prevent my body and mind from failing due to aging. I'd choose middle class in 2049 over rich in 2011 for the same reasons that I'd choose 2011 over 1973.

Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?

#25

Post by yummyfajitas »

HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #7
Vivtek wrote: post #4

Rich in 1900 is my choice. I'll bet the food then rocked - I'll just take one year's income at face value and the house I'm living in now, without 111 years of intervening decay. The rich industrialist who lived here in 1900 will have to find new digs. But no contest. I'd turn back that clock right now.

What kind of food do you think you'd get in 1900 that you couldn't get today?

This brings to mind a scene from Mad Men (taking place only in the 60's). Draper has gone AWOL to California, where he is screwing some rich teenager. She asks him: "Have you ever had Mexican food?" He hadn't.

Similarly, in the novel of Casino Royale, avocados are used to signify how exotic the casino is.

This only takes you back to the 60's.

Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?

#28

Post by kariatx »

I'd vote middle class in 2011 for the modern internet alone. Not to mention medical advances, every bit of culture and knowledge since 1973, modern attitudes toward women and minorities...

I can always make more money in 2011, but I can't turn 1973 into something it's not.

Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?

#29

Post by [deleted] »

johnohara wrote: post #17

Here's an interesting document from the US Census Bureau: http://www2.census.gov/prod2/popscan/p60-097.pdf In 1973, 628,000 families made less than $1000.00 per year. That's $.48 per hour for a 40-hour week. 8.1 million (14.1%) families made less that $5000 that year. In 2011, annual unemployment benefits for an individual can reach about $20,000. In 1973, that amount would rank in the upper 18% of all family incomes…

[deleted]

Re: Would You Rather Be Middle Class in 2011 or Rich in 1973?

#30

Post by artmageddon »

petervandijck wrote: post #14
Vivtek wrote: post #4

Rich in 1900 is my choice. I'll bet the food then rocked - I'll just take one year's income at face value and the house I'm living in now, without 111 years of intervening decay. The rich industrialist who lived here in 1900 will have to find new digs. But no contest. I'd turn back that clock right now.

No sushi. No TV. Few interesting books. I could go on.

No means of rapid transportation over extremely long distances.
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