[Tumbleweed_Connection]

I read this last night.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

I thought you might like this.

[Puddleglum]

bump for later reading

[austingirl]

This sure is in synch with my perceptions of life in America - particularly the rise in prosperity during the fifties then the sharp decline post 1970. Americans used to get by on one income, have the mother stay at home with the kids and that is so rare today. The accompanying social decline is so sad and costly in so many ways, yet it becomes a boon to GDP how ironic.

A long read, but worth it bump.

[Jim Cane]

If the chief of your local police department were to announce today that "activity" on the city streets had increased by 15 percent, people would not be impressed, reporters least of all. They would demand specifics. Exactly what increased?Tree planting or burglaries? Volunteerism or muggings? Car wrecks or neighborly acts of kindness?

The mere quantity of activity, taken alone, says virtually nothing about whether life on the streets is getting better or worse. The economy is the same way. "Less" or "more" means very little unless you know of what. Yet somehow the GDPmanages to induce a kind of collective stupor in which such basic questions rarely get asked.

Life in my gated (by location location location anyway) community is great. Outside - it sucks. Folks with inexpensive toasters and 3 part time jobs.