Originally Posted by
gugi
The appropriate measure, I think is the standard of living. I am pretty sure most people can live at the living standard of say the 60s or the 70s or the 80s with their current income. But you have to apply it consistently, i.e. you cook your meals at home like you did back then, you live in the same size house as you did back then, you don't use a technology that back then cost millions (computers/cell phones/current model cars/etc.). And of course you compare yourself with the appropriate age group back then, i.e. if you're a retiree now compare yourself to a retiree back then...
I suspect that a lot of grumbling is simply a result of bad memory or improper comparisons. I know that at every single point of their lives my parents were much better off than their parents were at the corresponding stage, and I have been much better off than my parents had.