Brooks: 60 percent of American adults made more than $100,000 in at least one or two of those years
This produces a lot of dynamism. As Stephen J. Rose points out in his book "Rebound: Why America Will Emerge Stronger From the Financial Crisis," the number of Americans earning between $35,000 and $70,000 declined by 12 percent between 1980 and 2008. But that's largely because the number earning over $105,000 increased by 14 percent. Over the past 10 years, 60 percent of American adults made more than $100,000 in at least one or two of those years, and 40 percent had incomes that high for at least three.
David Brooks defines a slice of the middle class.
As the world gets richer, demand will rise for the sorts of products Americans are great at providing -- emotional experiences. Educated Americans grow up in a culture of moral materialism; they have their sensibilities honed by complicated shows like "The Sopranos," "The Wire" and "Mad Men," and they go on to create companies like Apple, with identities coated in moral and psychological meaning, which affluent consumers crave.
OP-ED COLUMNIST
Relax, We'll Be Fine
By DAVID BROOKS
Published: April 6, 2010
News of America's death is greatly exaggerated. In reality, the U.S. is on the verge of a demographic, economic and social revival.