Is $500 too much?

[theRepublic]

Kasz216 said:

theRepublic said:

If we are talking the US, wages are pretty much flat or down since 1970 adjusting for inflation.

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/22/the-uncomfortable-truth-about-american-wages/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/07/31/wages-arent-stagnating-theyre-plummeting/

Although that's misleading.   US wages are pretty much flat  (on average but no in practice) since the 1970's since raises since then have been based on things like better healthcare, dental and stock options.

US wages may be down... but total compensation?

 

 

So theoretecially you could be spending 500 on a videogame console because you don't have to sock away as much for retirement, have stocks of don't have to pay for healthcare.

However, additioanlly wages have gone up more then suggested, it's just hidden by the fact that a lot of mid level union work has disapeared due to globalization and been replaced with low paying service work.   Your average worker is actually keeping up with inflation fine, just so long as they don't lose their job.    So I guess that'd suggest a $500 console could have  a strong start, but would struggle to find long term userbase.

 

Then again, the brokest dudes i know seem to be the ones who own multiple game systems.

Where is that from?