I built "Middle Class Museum", a tour of things that used to be affordable

Project concept and intent

• Creator built “Middle Class Museum” as a browser-based, satirical walk-through of things that “used to be affordable” (homes, pensions, cars, Blockbuster, etc.).
• Implemented with vanilla HTML/CSS/JS, no backend.
• Author emphasizes it’s meant as humor/satire, not a rigorous finance explainer, but acknowledges criticism and considers adding “satire” and “not inflation adjusted” disclaimers and possibly revising numbers.

Inflation, wages, and affordability

• Many commenters argue that failing to adjust for inflation makes the comparisons misleading or “disinformation.”
• Some show that old prices, once adjusted, are closer to today’s prices (e.g., 1980 house or car costs) and say that median wages have roughly kept pace overall.
• Others insist that even inflation-adjusted, core necessities (housing, healthcare, education, childcare) have outpaced wages, while many consumer goods (TVs, computers, software) have become cheaper.
• There is sharp disagreement on whether “life was more affordable in the 80s/90s,” with some asserting clear decline in affordability of basics and others saying standards and expectations have simply risen.

Quality, features, and expectations over time

• Critics note that old houses, cars, and products were smaller, less feature-rich, and often less reliable or safe.
• Others counter that older items were easier/cheaper to repair, communities did more DIY maintenance, and that “seatbelts and airbags” shouldn’t be the main benchmark for progress.
• Several point out that people now expect larger homes, SUVs, and more amenities, which drives cost.

Housing, cars, and big-ticket items

• Housing: debate centers on land scarcity, zoning/NIMBYism, and lack of new starter homes/condos. Some say you can still find sub‑$300k homes in many cities; others stress regional crises.
• Cars: comparisons of 1980s station wagons vs today’s compacts/SUVs, interest rates, loan terms, and the shift to leasing/financing. Disagreement over whether cars were really cheaper “in real terms” and whether Americans simply prefer bigger, more expensive vehicles now.

Pensions, retirement, and financial vehicles

• Some nostalgically highlight defined-benefit pensions; others emphasize they were risky (employer insolvency, fraud) and prefer modern defined-contribution plans with low-cost index funds.
• Discussion touches on rising life expectancy making pensions costlier, deferring retirement for higher payouts, and the role of tax-advantaged accounts.

Broader economic and political framings

• Thread includes debates over Marx, labor theory of value, and whether workers should be able to afford what they produce.
• Some blame corporate concentration, tax avoidance, and deregulation for rising costs of essentials and advocate redistribution and unions; others argue narratives of oppression are exaggerated or misleading.
• Monetary policy and stimulus are briefly contested, especially around inflation causes.

Everyday costs, subscriptions, and lifestyle

• Comparisons between Blockbuster rentals vs streaming subscriptions generally favor the present on cost and convenience.
• Some argue people overpay via lifestyle choices (premium phones, streaming bundles, coffee, frequent upgrades) rather than structural unaffordability alone.
• Others stress that cheap entertainment doesn’t offset high housing, healthcare, and education costs.

Design, UX, and factual nitpicks

• Complaints about horizontal scrolling not working well with scroll wheels and copy/paste being disabled.
• Corrections raised about TSA shoe rules, modern savings account yields, current car subsidies, and specific numeric errors (e.g., student loan averages).