In general, I live in America and lately I have been hearing
more and more often from Americans that living in the USA is becoming
prohibitively expensive.
In addition to this, the other day I came across a post on the Internet
where Americans discussed what things suddenly moved from the category
of “any homeless person can afford it” to the category of “well, maybe I'll buy it someday”
Fried chicken wings
The fact is that until the 90s, chicken wings were not considered meat
at all. Butcher shops simply threw them away or gave them to someone
very cheaply, like giblets.
In the 90s, many fast food chains realized that it was possible to buy such meat for cheap and earn money from it. So since the 90s, for a long time the price of wings has been around 10-30 cents per wing.
These are the prices that many Americans remember, who in college took a
couple of beers and a bucket of wings for 2-3 dollars.
Of course, I did not catch this, but even 5 years ago I often took
chicken wings at a price of $6 for 8 pieces (80 cents per piece). Now 8
wings cost $15 (almost $2 per wing)
Bowling
Bowling has always been considered the entertainment of the working
class, and therefore was very cheap. Think of any American movie from
the 80s-90s. Where does a guy relax with friends after work? Of course,
in the bowling alley. You pay a couple of dollars for the game, take a
beer at the bar for five and have a pretty good evening.
Currently, a bowling trip for two can cost around $50-100.
Fortunately, there are still places in the «bumblefuck» of America where
prices have not changed much since the 90s. I've found bowling for $5
myself. Unfortunately, not only the prices, but everything else has not
changed since the 90s — old balloons, worn-out interior, worn and smelly
shoes for rent.
Movie tickets
It's exactly the same story as with bowling. It was $1-2 for a ticket,
it became $15-25 + a bucket of popcorn with cola will cost the same
amount.
Concert tickets
As some Americans recall, in the 90s it was possible to deliver
newspapers after school on a bike and easily earn money for a concert of
your favorite band, and more than once a month.
Now concert tickets have become a real luxury. Firstly, ticket sales are
essentially handled by one company that has monopolized the market.
Secondly, prices have already soared for everything.
That year, I took Pink tickets at a price of $200 per ticket somewhere
at the back of the hall. The first rows cost $1500-3000 each.
Seriously, even if Pink sings sitting on my lap, well, that's $500 maximum (After all, she's not young anymore).
And if you only knew how much tickets for Taylor Swift cost. Google it
for fun. Many Americans fly to her concerts in other countries, because
even with a flight and a hotel, it is twice cheaper than going to her
concert in the USA.
Tacos
In the old days, there were vans on every corner where Latinos sold tacos for $0.5 — $1. Now one taco costs $5
Since I love tacos, I sincerely do not understand why I should take 3
tacos for $20 (with taxes and tips) in some trailer when I can take them
for the same price in a restaurant.
Thrift Stores
An era has passed when a used thing could be bought many times cheaper.
Now, with the development of the Internet, a crowd of online resellers
has appeared, which buys up everything that is of at least some value
and resells it at a margin.
eBay has turned from an online flea market of used items into a trading platform for resale and online stores.
Thrift shops and second-hand shops have begun to inflate prices, as a
crowd of overbought people runs in there in search of rarities.
If earlier, in the absence of money, it was necessary to go only to the
second-hand store, now it does not hurt to compare prices first. Perhaps
a new thing in the same Walmart will cost just a little more than a
used one in Goodwill (this is a chain of second-hand stores)
Real estate
There's nothing to discuss here. American grandfathers bought houses for
a «bag of corn», and now they cost millions of dollars. For old times'
sake, local grandfathers continue to tell their grandchildren, “Work
hard and then you can also buy yourself a house, like I did in my
youth!“. No. No one will be able to buy a house just by working. After
all, you are the one who fucked up our economy.
Apparently, an
entire era is coming to an end. The America that we saw in childhood in
American films is gradually changing. An ordinary American will no
longer be able to drive to school in a Chevrolet Camaro, and after
college buy himself a two-story house, 2 cars and start a family of 3-4
children. Now it's more like middle-class life.
1. My kink is getting teased, mislead and scammed out of my money while receiving low quality pics, shorts and spam advertising in exchange.
2. Because I don't have a personal life, I don't meet new people and I spend more time at work than anywhere else. If $5 helps me feel less lonely, then why not.
3. My friend is in the top 10% on OnlyFans, and she told me about the strange requests she received. For example, she was paid $300 for a video where she sneezes from a certain angle, filming it in a POV style, as if she sneezes in a guy's face.
4. It's hard to find girls who like the same things as me. And those who like the same things as me are very often not the ones I would like to meet in real life.
5. Because I am addicted to porn and have always felt a huge attraction to ordinary women. Not to those typical porn actresses with comically big tits and silicone asses, but to women who can be found in everyday life — for example, in a store, or at work.
6. Because that top chan from school who was so inaccessible is now urinating in her panties for money. I never thought I'd see her like this before. It was worth that $5.
7. To support the arts.
8. Because I can't go on dates anymore and haven't been physically close to anyone for many years. I'm a middle—aged man, I don't have the time or money for dating, and dating itself is shit right now. Besides, I live in a rural area where there is stupidly no one to meet.
9. I know that I am a loser, and there is a high probability that I am writing to a bot or its assistant, but the very illusion of communication is pleasant to me. Better than a complete lack of attention from women.
10. Because I want to see content created by specific girls. So if it's inexpensive, why not? Besides, I like the feeling that I'm supporting an ordinary person. I wouldn't donate to a porn company, but if it's a girl trying to make ends meet, then that's a completely different matter.
There is something about yourself that you don't know. Something that you will deny even exists until it's too late to do anything about it. It's the only reason you get up in the morning, the only reason you suffer the shitty boss, the blood, the sweat and the tears. This is because you want people to know how good, attractive, generous, funny, wild and clever you really are. «Fear or revere me, but please think I'm special.» We share an addiction. We're approval junkies. We're all in it for the slap on the back and the gold watch. The «hip, hip, hoo-fucking-rah.» Look at the clever boy with the badge, polishing his trophy. Shine on, you crazy diamond. Cos we're just monkeys wrapped in suits, begging for the approval of others.