Off-setting Trends

The yin and yang of daily life gives much to think about. If a trend rises in one place, is there an off-setting trend lowering somewhere else? Logic tells us this must be true. Rising tides that raise all boats means lowering tides elsewhere; the earth as slop dish tells the tale. No new ocean water is created, just redistributed.

If homelessness rises, does this mean self-sustaining households are declining? One pondering this encounters a trend of disappearing middle class homes. Then one question is household size, and distribution of incomes among such households? The picture becomes muddied in a hurry.

If housing is trending toward costlier, and if average wages are mostly stagnant – OK, maybe a little up – then what is the ‘give’ side of the equation? Less spending on food? Fewer automobiles per household? But if households contain fewer people, the auto statistic is meaningless.

So, the give and take of economic life remains. We don’t always know who is giving and who is taking.

Wait, there is a statistic that generally helps understand that: distribution of household incomes: the rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer; the middle class is melting away into both sides of those two statistics. Some middle-class homes are advancing to the richer segment while many are slipping into lower income groupings.

Social implication of these numbers is huge. We have known that for a long time. Sociology, social work, psychology, psychiatry, medical research and many other disciplines track the effects of socioeconomic movements. Social programs are developed to respond to human needs caused by socioeconomic trends. For example, rising homelessness versus higher housing prices. How can this be addressed by industry moguls, government policy makers and consumers?

Another one: fewer cars per household versus rising car prices. Is this a good thing for society and community? Fewer cars might mean less congestion and air pollution. Different modes of transportation may be fostered and increase community interaction in healthy ways. How active should policy makers be in encouraging more or less cars on the road?

Homeownership or rent? Which is better for society and community? Is there a better or worse? Why? What are the key elements included in this decision process in the first place?

There are a lot of issues we should be thinking about. Hidden unemployment due to loss of career paths is one of them. How much unemployment of this type exists? Whose responsibility is it to tend to this trendline? Do employers have a role to play in this? They say they don’t have enough job applicants, yet they allowed excellent career employees go as skill requirements shifted. How about re-training those folks?

Trends. Good and bad ones. Progress or retrenchment? Depends on which side of the issue affects you the most. Still something for all of us to think about.

September 17, 2018