Half the population of [the people in our society] earns below the median household income of about $37,000 -- less than what it would take to provide a "middle class" lifestyle !!
(Via AtlanticBlog.)
The HR person at my job issued a memo last week that demanded employees stop using sick days to extend weekends. Her records show that 40% of lost days due to illness took place on either Fridays or Mondays.
-K
Posted by: Kirk on November 15, 2002
Perhaps what she meant was that a middle-class lifestyle could be bought for $37K, and that it was a shame that only half the people could afford that. Of course, it is called "middle" class for a reason...
The silver lining is that soon the median household income will exceed more than I've ever earned in a year. Huzzah!
Posted by: Angie Schultz on November 15, 2002
How very Lake Woebegone: where all the wage-earners are above average...
Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 16, 2002
It's even worse in Europe. Check out the CIA world factbook.
Posted by: Anna on November 16, 2002
Here we see the disadvantages of a neglected education. This person should take an elementary course in statistics. Half the people in the country earn less than the median household income; shocking! Perhaps someone should explain to her what "median" means, but I'm not sure it can be done in words of one syllable.
Posted by: Michael Lonie on November 17, 2002
Maybe the author means that $37K isn't enough for whatever a "middle class lifestyle" is supposed to be? (Which would imply that the mean household isn't middle-class, but don't confuse me with the facts.)
For someone sheltered enough, I can imagine such a thing. "That's not nearly enough for the Tivo subscription, and a new car every two years, and the annual Europe trip, and the rental on the ski lodge, and the private day school for two kids... you know... the basics."
Posted by: jeanne a e devoto on November 18, 2002