Things that make you wonder....

[Grand Torino]

1.  Back when thrift stores were just called “the place where we get our clothes,” you could actually find affordable secondhand items. Now? They’re “vintage boutiques” where trust fund kids in berets “curate” old Levi’s for $200 a pair. The same jacket that was $5 last year is now “authentic retro streetwear” selling for your entire grocery budget. And don’t even get me started on the resellers who camp out at Goodwill with their price-checking apps, snatching up anything remotely valuable before actual low-income families can find it.

2.  One day you’re living in your perfectly fine working-class neighborhood, the next day some real estate agent is calling it “charming” and “authentic”—and that’s when you know you’re about to get priced out of own zip code. First comes the craft coffee shop where a latte costs more than an hour’s minimum wage, then the “artisanal” pizza place that doesn’t actually sell pizza by the slice, and suddenly your rent has doubled because your building now has a “vintage industrial aesthetic” (translation: they didn’t fix the exposed pipes

3.  It used to be that fixing things yourself, growing your own food, and making clothes was just called “being poor.” Now it’s “artisanal crafting” and “urban homesteading.” The same skills people used to survive are now expensive hobbies for people who can afford to fail at them. Your grandpa wasn’t a “master craftsman”—he just couldn’t afford to buy new furniture. But now hand-made anything comes with a price tag that would make him faint.

4.  Pour one out for instant ramen—the OG broke food that got many of us through college. While you can still find the instant stuff (for now), ramen has gone from 25-cent survival food to $20+ “authentic dining experiences.” The same noodles that got you through your broke college days are now being served with a backstory longer than your student loan repayment plan.

5.. Once upon a time, mason jars were just… jars. They were how poor folks preserved food to make it through winter. Now they’re wedding centerpieces that cost more empty than they did full of food. People are paying premium prices to drink out of the same jars your great aunt used to store green beans, and somewhere she’s either laughing or crying.

6.  Remember when having multiple jobs was just called “trying to make rent”? Now it’s been rebranded as “entrepreneurial spirit” and “the gig economy.” What used to be a sign that one job wasn’t paying enough has been glamorized into some sort of lifestyle choice, complete with workshops on “hustling” that cost more than what you’d make hustling

7.  Carhartt went from actual work clothes to fashion statements. The same jackets and boots that factory workers wore because they were durable and affordable are now “heritage pieces” selling for ten times the price. People are paying premium prices to look like they might know what a wrench is.

8.  ulti-generational households used to be a sign that nobody could afford their own place. Now it’s been rebranded as “intentional co-living” and “returning to traditional values.” The same living arrangement that used to get you pitying looks now gets you featured in lifestyle magazines about “choosing community over consumption”—as if it was ever a choice

9.  People who used to pick berries and mushrooms, because they needed food, are watching in disbelief as foraging tours charge $200 to teach people how to find the same stuff. Now there are apps and expensive guides for finding “wild edibles,” and somehow the free food in nature comes with a premium price tag. Your grandmother who knew every edible plant in the county would be charging consultant fees if she saw this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gun sane]

When I was a kid, gas station air was free.  Now it's $2.  That's inflation for ya.

 

[papa61]

yep, us poor people can't get a break. 

[DJTC45]

Working class doesn't have a chance. @Grand Torino your spot on with your comment. It used to be and it only seems like a couple of years ago, I'd head out to work at 4:30-5am and only seen about eight cars on our main road, now it takes me 15min + just to pull out and get to the main road. It's exploded up here were we live, and I'm sure it's everywhere. The Gen X is something else for sure.