Not sure that even Scientific American readers would be up for a more in depth look at where the US economy is headed. Five graphs might be enough . . .
Personally, I found the contrasts with both the US as it used to be and other countries interesting.
Least satisfying bit is that Stiglitz promises a "what we can do about it" and comes up a bit short. Take the $$$ out of politics, better fund education, keep financial interests from screwing people, that's about it.
There is a great deal LESS "contrast", real world, that you might be aware of.
Thing is, humans have NEVER had an existence where milk and honey just flowed from a tap and were delivered to Joe Average by topless waitresses.
What "the rich" might get up to - or get off on - is mostly just a curiosity for the readers of sensationalist tabloids.
The rest of us have
always had to scratch for a meal. We find a way to do that. Any generation. Any nation. What those nano-percenters OWN is out here in OUR world as the land we lease to farm, the buildings we rent space in, the fleets of leased aircraft carrying OUR bums-on-seats, the telecoms networks we use, the containership fleets as bring and take away our goods and produce, etc...
In other words, their "wealth" has to work for a living even if they, personally no longer SEEM to do.
And most of them actually DO work rather hard at managing it. Or even giving it away.
To the guy behind a desk or behind the wheel of a tractor, it matters little if he is paying rent to a Government, a co-op, or a richbastard. If the rent is too onerous, he goes and does some other thing.
Whether he was born a genius or no, his entire generation came out of the womb with a very high statistical chance of having a functioning brain.
Only a few of those get outright-switched OFF. The rest are actively seeking to make their way in life.
As they do. Graphs and theories of far less interest than what's for supper.
"Helpless Sheep, headed for slaughter"? Are we really?
Or maybe just independent folks with a "good enough" level of self-sufficiency, each in their own way, to not actually HAVE to much give a damn what the latest instalment of ephemeral fools and parasites are yammering on about, any given week?
The rich have more money. No shit, Sherlock? That might even be why we CALL them "rich", yah?
Joe Average has far the higher head-count of functioning brains, capable hands, and square-area of the Earth under his long-striding, ever mobile, and now and then
ass-kicking boots. Or high-heeled sneakers.
We are the
customers of those "richbastards" businesses and sources of wealth. And the customer calls the shots.
Just whom is it, again, as should be worried?
No revolution required.
Obstacles are easier to go AROUND than under, over... or through. As we do. For multiple millennia. Already. And still-yet-again tomorrow. If not? Then Tuesday next. Count-the-fuck on that, 'coz it has one seriously long track-record. Any clan. Any continent.