Welcome to the White-Collar Recession
businessinsider.com
businessinsider.com
If anything: I’d argue white collar workers are far more realistic in their outlook on the realities of the disparity between elite executives and the rest of the working populace.
The income separation between a $55k and $300K annual salary are way closer than the difference between a $300K salary and a $1MM+ executive-level salary and I just can’t see how you’d draw any other conclusion than white collar workers are well aware.
Now; if you’re talking about the level of comfortability in living between $55K and $300K; then, sure, white collar workers aren’t going to feel the financial toll of the disparity as much, but it doesn’t at all mean they aren’t aware.
They don’t unionize. It is their only lever to correct the unilateral nature of the relationship, and yet, so many excuses given why they shouldn’t or don’t. “Temporarily embarrassed wealthy person” syndrome perhaps?
(I am pro union based on first principles and systems decomposition. There is no other way for workers to have agency and improved working conditions (US centric) against counterparties who systemize extraction and disposal of them. Mental models are rigid and humans are emotion and status driven though, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. The beatings will continue until organizing is effective unfortunately)