Newsweek Discovers Americans Want More Money, Not Less
Mainstream media frames this as a new 'trend,' neglecting the historical context of wage stagnation. Real average hourly earnings for production and non-supervisory employees increased by just 9.6% between 1973 and 2018, while productivity soared by over 70% (Economic Policy Institute, 2019). Meanwhile, corporate profits and CEO compensation have skyrocketed. It appears 'salary expectations' are
merely an attempt to regain ground lost over 50 years. We're told our expectations are 'changing,' as if wanting to afford food and housing is a novel, entitled whim, rather than a belated pushback against decades of disproportionate wealth extraction by the very corporate entities that own most media. Perhaps the real 'change' is that some are finally refusing to accept less for more work.