• EtherWhack@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    People need to learn that when they hear ‘inflation is down’, it doesn’t mean things are getting cheaper, it just means that the increase in cost is slowing down.

    Is it a psychological tactic that news media is using to make consumers more complacent? Who knows. But, whenever I hear someone mention that phrase like things are improving, I die a little more each time.

    • ToadOfHypnosis@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Tactics like this can be used because the education system has gotten so bad that people have terrible critical thinking skills.

      • NeilBrü@lemmy.world
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        23 hours ago

        They want us smart enough to push the buttons and pull the levers, but dumb enough to not realize how badly we’re getting fucked.

    • wewbull@feddit.uk
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      2 days ago

      The inflation figure is an annual figure though. It means things are 2.7% more expensive than they were last year. OP is showing an example nearer 60%.

      • Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 day ago

        It’s actually showing 47%. The price is based on pounds which increased from $10.99 to $15.99.

        • Tja@programming.dev
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          1 day ago

          Since it’s from April to August, it’s actually showing 31% annual.

          And since a sample size of one, and the location is redacted (could be comparing Texas with NYC or Hawaii) it’s showing nothing.

    • rumba@lemmy.zip
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      2 days ago

      if inflation made my paycheck go up, that’d be great. As it stands I have a LOT less buying power and my industry is waffling so I’m only seeing 2% increases for years.

      • freebee@sh.itjust.works
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        2 days ago

        It exists. In Belgium and I think also Luxembourg inflation in prices of common consumer things automatically triggers wages, unemployment money, pensions to rise too. For most jobs it triggers when it hits 2%. Life got 2 % more expensive, wages rise 2 % a few months / a year later. Using a basket of consumer prices, excluding things like fuel, alcohol, tobacco prices

        • rumba@lemmy.zip
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          2 days ago

          Heh I stopped in Belgium years before the Euro money conversion, chill place. I remember going to an atm to get some local currency to shop and the options were something like 1000, 5000, 10000. It was pre smartphone so I had no idea what the conversion was or what to choose. So I just hit something in the middle and had WAY too much money to buy some fresh fruit and chocolate.

        • Orygin@sh.itjust.works
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          2 days ago

          Yet they still manage to fuck us over by “jumping” an index. 2% may not seem much now but compounded we lose a lot over the years

          • freebee@sh.itjust.works
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            8 minutes ago

            In other countries EVERY index gets jumped unless they successfully negotiate/strike for the raise. Yeah, jumped index sucks but it was still a rather occasional thing. There’s been only 4 I think, 3 times in the eighties, 1 time in 2015…

          • Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip
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            17 hours ago

            You (and every step angle other employee at your company) should be demanding AT LEAST an inflation adjustment every year from your boss.

      • bier@feddit.nl
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        2 days ago

        Not really… The economy is more and more controlled by a hand full of large multinationals. So if one corporation has 90% of the market (using different brand names to fake competition), they can raise the price far beyond just supply and demand. In the end we all need food and Healthcare etc. When you have the option of paying way to much (for some medicine) or dying, you can’t really say no, right.

        • pivot_root@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          And shelter, which developers, slumlords, and property management companies would be more than happy to see doubled every decade.

          If you include necessities beyond just what is needed to not end up dead, we also have:

          • Electricity
          • Sewage and waste disposal
          • Personal transportation (in North America, where suburbs are sprawling and transit is inadequate)
          • Phone or internet (needed for employment)

          There are plenty of places where the average person has no choice but to get bent over and fucked by profit-seeking corporations.

      • wischi@programming.dev
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        2 days ago

        Yes, vut with the supply being almost literally just a printer. Typically 2% inflation are intentionally targeted to prevent deflation (which is also not good).