I've seen some articles on the net usually from writers on the left-side of the political spectrum argue about how the average American isn't doing any better than they were 30 or so years ago.

According to the consumer price index (CPI), the median household income is only 4% higher today.  I've seen people try to make the case that our generation is the first generation that isn't going to be living better than their parent's generation.

So let's be real clear about that statement -- would you prefer to live today with what you've got or would you prefer to live in 1976? How about if your salary, adjusted for inflation, was increased by 10%? 20%? 30%? 

For thousands of years, one generation did live pretty much the same as the next generation.  That was the reality of most of human history. But common sense tells us that that isn't the case anymore. That each new generation is living far better than the previous. FARRR better. 

Going back 30 years means no cable TV, no Internet, no personal computers, no DVDs, no air conditioning (for the average person), dirty air, probably dirty water (Michigan's great lakes were horrible -- Lake Erie caught on fire!), crappy food choices, expensive toys, expensive bikes (my bike cost LESS than my bike when I was a kid without even adjusting for inflation), no cell phones, expensive plane travel, no video games, etc...etc...

And the average American today makes use of all the things I just listed.  So clearly, the average American is living better than they were 30 years ago.  Not just a little better but a lot better.  How much would they have to pay you to go back and live back then? I don't think there's any amount of money that could make me go back then.

Something to think about next time some politician tries to claim that "real wages" haven't increased and that our standard of living is declining.