For the majority of the last century, life has been pretty great for Americans, essentially putting them on top of the world. Generations have seen nothing but life improving for their children and grandchildren, with no indication of it slowing down. For most of this time, many people haven’t even needed to really sacrifice much for it the way that previous generations have.

This is finally starting to change.

Decades ago, we were told we’d finally have to start sacrificing to make a better life for our children. That didn’t sit well with some people.

Millions of people are coming to the West (not just the US) for a better life, and have been for generations. While we’re getting more tax dollars, resources are being spread more thin.

As well, it’s been harder for people to earn a living. Before some time in the 1970s, company earnings were tightly coupled with employee earnings. Since then, company productivity and earnings have skyrocketed, while inflation-adjusted employee earnings have stagnated. Of course, employee productivity continues to skyrocket with advances in technology.

Nowadays, the “current” generation is feeling the pain.

Before, a person could graduate high school and find a good job to be able to afford a house, a car, and a family. Sometimes their spouse needed to work, too.

Nowadays, two people working in a household often can’t afford to own a home. Yet the companies they’re working for are making more money than ever.

Long story short, the US has been on top of the world for decades, and for the last half a century, they’ve been funneling their wealth upwards while taking away from the working class. There was so much money to go around that it wasn’t enough to notice for generations. But now, people aren’t just noticing – they’re feeling it.

And there doesn’t seem to be any agreement on what needs to be done to make it better. (Partially because it’s cheaper to fund media-based distractions than to fund social programs that would help people, or to tax corporations and the rich!)