A Century-Long Perspective on Modern Discontent

I asked my college-aged daughter why people today feel so financially strained—even after a century of innovation.

Her answer?

“Maybe nothing’s missing. Maybe greed is just more prevalent.”

That stuck with me. Because despite all the gains in productivity, technology, and AI, many feel worse off than their grandparents—when a single income could support a household.

Let’s break down why… and explore what we can actually do about it.

🏠 The Purchasing Power Paradox

A quick snapshot:

Expense 1925 (inflation-adjusted) 2024

Median Home Price $109,000 ~$400,000

Annual Net Income $95,758 $68,600 (median)

Tax Rate 3.35% 14.9%

Even though we’ve made tech cheaper (TVs, phones), essential costs like housing, healthcare, and education have outpaced wages. The result? A modern treadmill: we earn more—but run harder to keep up.

📉 From Stakeholders to Shareholders

Since the 1980s, corporate priorities have shifted:

• 🧑‍💼 Wages: Stagnant despite record profits
  
  

• 🧠 Work-life balance: Hustle culture = burnout
  
  

• 🏪 Community impact: Local businesses decline as corporations prioritize short-term returns
  
  

GDP per capita has tripled since 1950, but life satisfaction? Flatlined.

That’s because the benefits of productivity gains flow to shareholders, not the people doing the work.

🤖 Generative AI: A Fork in the Road

AI tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney could either liberate or exploit us—depending on how we use them.

For corporate employees:

• If your company uses AI: Learn to work with it—prompt engineering, automating tasks, streamlining workflows.
  
  

• If it doesn’t: You’ll likely use AI tools yourself to get ahead… but without a lighter workload or extra pay.
  
  

For freelancers & small businesses:

This is your moment. AI is leveling the playing field:

• 🛍️ Inventory forecasting: Optimize stock with AI
  
  

• 🤖 Chatbots: Cut customer service costs by 50%
  
  

• 📬 Marketing personalization: Run targeted campaigns solo
  
  

• ⚡ Case in point: Zenpli onboarded clients 90% faster using AI
  
  

🚧 But here’s the trap: Even if AI delivers 100x efficiency, most companies won’t reduce hours or raise pay. Expect higher demands, not more freedom.

🤑 Greed: A Cultural Shift

Some numbers that say a lot:

• CEO-to-worker pay:
  
  

  • 1965: 20-to-1
    
    

  • 2022: 344-to-1
    
    

• Unionization: Down
  
  

• Tax burden: Up
  
  

• Profit margins: Near all-time highs
  
  

Culturally, we’ve normalized materialism and wealth hoarding—and downplayed fairness and shared prosperity.

🔧 What Can We Do?

This isn’t just about critique—it’s about action.

⚙️ Leverage AI Intentionally

• Freelancers & SMBs: Use ChatGPT for marketing, automate inventory, deploy AI chatbots
  
  

• Employees: Use AI to reduce busywork and reclaim time for learning, creativity, or family
  
  

🛒 Support Ethical Businesses

Shop at companies with B-Corp certification, fair wages, and sustainable practices.

🧑‍⚖️ Push for Smarter Policies

• Profit-sharing mandates to fairly distribute gains
  
  

• AI ethics regulation to protect workers, not just efficiency
  
  

📏 Redefine Success

Move beyond GDP. Support well-being-first models, like New Zealand’s national Wellbeing Budget.

🚀 Build Alternatives

Explore:

• Cooperatives
  
  

• Freelancing
  
  

• AI-powered microbusinesses
  
  

Sometimes, we don’t have to fix the system—we can opt out and build better ones.

✨ Final Thought

We have the tools.
We have the data.
We even have generative AI.

But if we don’t align incentives with impact, all our progress will keep serving the few at the top.

Maybe my daughter’s generation won’t just question greed.
Maybe they’ll reinvent the systems that reward it.

📚 References & Further Reading

1. Cost of Living & Inflation (1925 vs. 2024)
   U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Calculator, U.S. Census, Tax Foundation
   
   

   • Inflation-adjusted income: $5,425 in 1925 ≈ $98,968 in 2024
     
     

   • Tax burden: 3.35% (1925) → 14.9% (2021)
     
     

   • Housing costs: $109K (1925) → ~$400K (2024)
     🔗 U.S. News - Cost of Staples, 1925 vs. Today
     
     

2. CEO Pay & Income Inequality
   Economic Policy Institute (EPI)
   
   

   • CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 344-to-1 (2022)
     🔗 EPI CEO Pay Report (2022)
     🔗 EPI CEO Pay Report (2023)
     
     

3. Generative AI in Small Business
   
   

   • Use cases: AI chatbots, marketing automation, inventory forecasting
     🔗 PowerBits – AI in SMBs
     🔗 DynEdge – Top AI Applications for Small Businesses
     🔗 CallRail – AI for Small Business Marketing
     
     

4. Real-World AI Adoption in Enterprises
   
   

   • Case studies: Wendy’s (drive-thru AI), Mercedes (in-vehicle AI), Zenpli onboarding, Albo education tools
     🔗 Google Cloud – 101 Real-World AI Use Cases
     
     

5. Ethical Business Frameworks
   
   

   • B-Corp Certification Standards
     🔗 B Lab – B Corporation Directory