Podcast Club ONLINE: Is It Easier to Get Ahead Now More Than Ever?

Here in America, we're awash in inflation. Everything feels so much more expensive than not long ago. Gen Z and Millenials complain that owning a home is out of reach. The narrative seems to be that, unlike previous generations, the young won't do as well as their parents did. The Boomers had it easy. They then pulled the ladder up behind them after they made it. The American Dream is now a bust.

But according to this week's podcast guest, Joseph S. Moore, a historian, professor, and bestselling author, that's not so. He asserts that getting ahead in America has never been easier than it is today. While he's quick to note that it's still not easy per se, he says that compared to anytime in our nation's history, including when it was just a colony, upward mobility and gaining wealth is very doable. Even the purchasing power of our money, adjusted for inflation, is historically good. What's going on? Why do we feel so pessimistic? What are we missing if Moore is right, and is he in fact right?

This week's podcast is The Jordan Harbinger Show. Please be aware that the episode is longer than usual -- 1 hour, 42 min., excluding the last 5 minutes of promo. Nevertheless, it's an entertaining show and easy listening. Other than what's described above, the podcast includes a sprinkle of financial advice and thoughts about index funds, Bitcoin, marrying well, and FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early).

Joseph Moore is a Lecturer of History at Kennesaw State University within the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences. He was an Associate Professor of History, Department Chair, and Special Assistant to the President at Gardner-Webb University. Moore is a co-founder and CEO of The Covenanter Corporation, a real estate investment firm. He is the author of two books. His latest is entitled How to Get Rich in American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice That Worked (& Didn't). It was published this year, became an instant bestseller, and is the topic of the podcast,

PLEASE NOTE: We require that attendees listen to the podcast below before attending the meeting to optimize discussion.

https://www.jordanharbinger.com/joseph-moore-why-getting-ahead-has-never-been-easier/

or

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jordan-harbinger-show/id1344999619?i=1000788416314

(1 hr, 42 min.)

What's a podcast club?
It's like a book club for podcasts. Each week we discuss an interesting and currently-relevant episode from podcasters like Ezra Klein, Michael Shermer, or Russ Roberts. We start off as a large group and spend most of the time talking in small break-out groups, which we remix 3 times during the course of the evening. Our conversations are casual and open. We ask that everyone speak respectfully at all times, and we encourage free and concise discussion relevant to the week's podcast topic. To do this, we try to adhere to Grice's Maxims: https://bit.ly/2p4uSQm

Ultimately, the idea is to help each other think a little differently, learn a thing or two and have some fun.