Social and political chaos are symptoms of a foundational economic decay. When the work-to-reward feedback loop breaks—evidenced by housing becoming unaffordable—people lose faith in the system itself and become open to radical alternatives because they feel they have nothing left to lose.

When the economic system, particularly the housing market, makes it impossible for the youth to get ahead, it guarantees the rise of populism. Desperation leads them to vote for any promise of change, however destructive, such as socialist policies that ultimately collapse the economy.

Rising calls for socialist policies are not just about wealth disparity, but symptoms of three core failures: unaffordable housing, fear of healthcare-driven bankruptcy, and an education system misaligned with job outcomes. Solving these fundamental problems would alleviate the pressure for radical wealth redistribution far more effectively.

Whether one owns a home is a primary determinant of their perception of affordability. Homeowners with fixed mortgages feel more secure due to locked-in housing costs and accumulated equity. Renters, however, face constant rent increases and lack this wealth-building asset, making them feel far more financially insecure.

We have had housing technology for 10,000 years, yet have made it artificially scarce through regulation. This engineered scarcity prevents young people from starting families, directly causing the crash in birth rates that poses an existential threat to Western civilization.

As homeownership becomes unattainable without generational wealth, social mobility is stalling. The growing gap between asset owners and renters is calcifying, transforming the American economic structure from a meritocracy into a caste-like system where your financial starting point determines your destiny.

The inability for young people to afford assets like housing creates massive inequality and fear. This economic desperation makes them susceptible to populist leaders who redirect their anger towards political opponents, ultimately sparking violence.

While stocks or crypto are more efficient investments, a house is an intuitive, tangible asset that people understand emotionally. It acts as a forced savings account. This unique psychological position makes housing affordability a cornerstone of social and economic stability, unlike any other asset class.

The current housing market is not a cyclical bubble that will pop, but a structural crisis. It's a permanent collapse of opportunity driven by policy failures, corporate consolidation, and demographic incentives that have created deep, lasting scarcity, fundamentally changing the nature of homeownership in America.