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Small-Scale Question Sunday for December 21, 2025

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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Real assets (houses, cars, most real foods) have had a real increase in price over the last 50 years, reflecting a real chipping away at living standards here in the west.

Houses are more expensive (in some countries due to government policy aiming to secure this outcome as part of retirement planning for boomers), the food thing is going to be a goalpost moving exercise, but you're simply wrong about cars. Median nominal earnings growth has vastly outstripped growth in car prices for decades.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=1P71E