I think that the United States passed a commercial threshold a decade ago. What the hell do I mean by a commercial threshold?
The commercial threshold is the point
in the history of a commercial society where nearly all participants
are able to enjoy all the benefits of the society if they meet the
commercial behavioral norms. In other words, we are now so rich that anyone,
with a modest effort can enjoy all the benefits of the American commercial
world.
'That sounds outrageous,” yells the Lefty. 'What about all the poor people and the people in prison?
The commercial threshold will never include that part of society that rejects education, sobriety, persistence and a willingness to work. In our society, the outcasts are a tiny percent of the population...less than 5% of all adults. A trivial number, probably a minimum for any dynamic human population.
How do I know we passed the threshold? I look at my life and those around me. I personally never had to work at anything I didn't enjoy and I always had access to the abundance of a full life. I didn't inherit money or trade skill but I did understand simple living.
When the Hippies came along, they found the same reality that I did. Their only constraint was that they had to live in groups in order to have financial freedom.
Recently I asked myself the question:
'Could an ordinary person, 21 years old, with a community college
degree own a home in San Francisco, have a nice car, travel on
vacations and raise a family. The answer is yes.
Almost any menial entry level job, checker at a grocery, barista at a coffee chain, front server at McDonalds can be in management within ten years and have a salary and benefits that will allow them to buy a home, if their spouse works too.
Moreover, anyone with determination and persistence in virtually any field from roofing to gardening will actually be rich in twenty years.
That is the level of prosperity of our society. That is the threshold we have passed.