[proxy_user]

I am disappointed by the lack of replies. Perhaps this is too intellectually challenging for the masses here?

I would say that one important thing the author leaves out, on the plus side, is the value of advances in technology. This, too, is outside of the market-price calculations. For example, a couple of years back I had arthoscopic knee surgery. The cost was about $4000, so that amount was added to the GNP. However, the value to me and society was much greater--I would have gladly paid $50,000 to be able to walk around normally again. Fifty years ago, you could not have bought this service at any price. So I would say that the GPI needs to add in the value of such things, and that therefore the decline in GPI over the past fifty years may not be as great as the author posits.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

I thought this would generate more interest also. After finding it I stayed up much later to read/reread it. They grabbed my attention after saying something to the effect that GDP is simply a gross measure of market activity of money changing hands.

I used to be a hard core proxy user but I've reversed a lot of that.

[dfwgator]

Also with technology there simply isn't the need for as many high paying jobs as before, especially for engineers, accountants and computer programmers. Many of the jobs have either been eliminated or sourced out to other countries that have lower wages.

[Princeliberty]

Bottom line who is better off a couple than
both have to work to maintain the same
standard of living and income as a couple
were only the man has to work to have the
same income and standard of leaving.

The reality is the standard of living has
been in decline in America but it has been
masked but the nation working harder and harder
and getting deeper and deeper into debt to
stay at the same level of buying power.

The result is children who raised less and less
by the parents, more divorces under the financial
and work etc...

We are getting messed over by our establishment
in a huge way.