I'm a real young pup, 32, but I'm very aware of our "Real Living Costs" and how they compare. When someone get nostalgic and says "Gas was only 10 cents a gallon back then!" I remind them that they only got 30 cents an hour pay back then, too.
Look at your example. Let's increase your pay to $8.00 an hour, not a bad wage for someone starting off today in a reasonable market. Now let's increase your gas by the same ratio. $3.20 a gallon. Hmmm. Ok, now a fast food joint after work. $4.80 on the low end, $12.80 as a big spender. That's a little high for a extra-value meal from a fast food place, and about right for a sit down meal at a "neighborhood" type joint (Applebys, Fridays, etc) on the high end. Not somewhere you would eat at a lot on $8.00 an hour, but a nice date place.
Indeed, the good old days had a lot to look back on with wistful thoughts of what was, but we are living in a pretty blessed society today if we think about it.
Indeed, the good old days had a lot to look back on with wistful thoughts of what was, but we are living in a pretty blessed society today if we think about it.
To be fair, if you are going to compare cost of living between then and now, you also have to factor in the percentage of our current incomes which disappear in the form of income taxes, sales taxes, tolls, fees, etc., all going to feed the insatiable appetite of a welfare/warfare state which did not exist 100 years ago.
So maybe 100 years ago the working man could buy less with his income, but at least he had complete, 100% control over how he spent it.
It's rather silly to make blanket statements saying either that things are much better now, or much worse. It is possible to advance and degrade in seperate areas simultaneously.
Maybe 100 years from now we will routinely live to be 120, food, clothing, and shelter will be free, 100% of our income will be taxed, and we will all "happily" live in a communal work farm and all learn to love Big Brother. Living longer and healthier is not enough if certain other needs are not met.
In other words, man does not live by bread alone.