Sticker shock, a feeling as old as commerce itself, is no longer just an irksome, unexpectedly high bill. In the era of social media, overpaying for dinner is an invitation for anyone and everyone to publicly shake their fist over the health of the global economy.
it’s a problem because food prices, prepared or not, are up since COVID and wages are not. no amount of newsreaders with $500 haircuts can explain that away or reframe it.
the deal struck in the US has always been cheap food. yes, it will kill you because it’s full of cheap sugar, cheap oil, and cheap salt and the latest synthetic taste molecules, but when you were hungry you could usually find some warm mouthfuls of junk on the go for cheap. my move back in the day was a large french fry for $1 when i was moving between work sites on “lunch”. that’s the type of shit that placated me and made me less likely to confront the owner, fold him in half, and insert him into his own ass.
people will cram themselves with 3 roommates into a basement, sleep in a car, find illegal housing. they will not pursue higher education. they will not go to the doctor. but food is an immediate/visceral thing that is upsetting to be priced out on.
I hate being priced out of housing. But yeah food is the only thing that will ever cause riots in western people… now can we hurry it up?