We also had poorly built cars back in the 70's. Look around. Our cars today, our clothes, communications(phones, tv's, computers)are all better than in the 70's. We had more "productivity" then because we produced more then. Most of that went offshore and service jobs became the norm. But I lived through the 80's. Not about what I felt in my heart. We had it better than in the 70's. Topped off by the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 90's. Felt like the sky was the limit. But we also had the rise of the 401k. Companies trying to cash in on the stock market by eeking out more and more profit to satisfy Wall Street. Often at employees' expense. I will agree with
@rickyb that capitalism can be cutthroat. Lean and mean. It's the price we pay for efficient markets that provide our needs. But if our politicians aren't responsible, print too much money and throw it around, then efficient markets mean little when government caused inflation makes everything more expensive than it should be.
