>It's articles like this that make me wonder how much of our middle class burden comes from hidden rent seeking parasites like this.
One third of it.
The other third is from advertising: a huge industry using all kinds of manipulation, psychological tricks, constant brain washing, and (nowadays) surveillance, to make us buy all kinds of crap we don't need, and didn't want until yesterday.
And the last third is from jobs that make the middle class so tired and give it so little time and space, that shopping feels like therapy, and giving in to rent-seeking is the only option.
One third of it.
The other third is from advertising: a huge industry using all kinds of manipulation, psychological tricks, constant brain washing, and (nowadays) surveillance, to make us buy all kinds of crap we don't need, and didn't want until yesterday.
And the last third is from jobs that make the middle class so tired and give it so little time and space, that shopping feels like therapy, and giving in to rent-seeking is the only option.