Paul Breen retweetledi
What if the biggest “win” for families in the last 50 years was actually a trap?
Rory Sutherland dropped this on Alex O’Connor’s podcast: The two-income household started as a nice option. Both partners work, more money comes in. Feels great at first.
Then reality shifted. Governments got double the tax. Existing homeowners watched their property values soar. House prices rose to match two salaries.
Suddenly one income wasn’t enough anymore — even for high-earning singles like consultant surgeons. Families traded ~35 hours of free time per week for only modest gains in lifestyle.
What began as freedom quietly became an obligation. And it left single people and parents who want to raise their own kids at a real disadvantage.
This one stings because we sold it as pure progress.
Personally, it makes me question how many modern “upgrades” we’ve normalized without counting the real cost — especially lost time with family.
What’s something you once thought was clear progress that now feels like it came with a heavier price than we admitted?
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