Every time, our media class proves how out of touch it is with the average American.
In the Washington Post, writer Megan McArdle published a column arguing that eggs aren’t really that expensive if you look at egg prices over the past hundred years.
That doesn’t change the fact that egg prices are through the roof today.
Fox News reports:
Trending: LIVE NOW: Here’s President Trump’s Response to Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address – Video
Columnist’s eggs ‘really cheap’ compared to exploded eggs 100 years ago: ‘Freaking nuts’
Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle tried to reframe Americans’ concerns about rising egg prices by arguing that, compared to prices a century ago, today’s prices are relatively fair.
His Tuesday column “Why Eggs Are Cheaper Than You Think” acknowledged the “skyrocketing price of eggs” in recent months but provided additional context using data dating back to 1896, saying “eggs are still really cheap, historically speaking.”
“If you look at old cookbooks, you’ll notice that the authors treat eggs and chicken almost as a luxury item. My 1950’s ‘Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book’ contains recipes for making mock chicken dishes – from veal. Go back further and the 1896 Fanny Farmer Cookbook sternly informs readers, ‘Eggs, even at twenty-five cents per dozen, should not be freely used by the strictest economist.’ An odd justification to modern ears, until you realize that in 1896 a pound of round steak was about 35 percent cheaper than a pound of eggs,” McArdle wrote.
The argument followed an earlier Twitter trend in January, when social media users declared eggs a “luxury item” and people displayed photos of prices as high as $11.49.
McArdle is stunned by the beating he received.
I honestly can’t believe people are freaking out about this column: https://t.co/2W04VrHX3F
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) February 7, 2023
“Be happy you are not a slave” is one take. Bad, but take it anyway. https://t.co/KtXqNDEVSd
— Physics Geek (@physicsgeek) February 7, 2023
The media will keep mocking you. https://t.co/EecjUHBB65
— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) February 7, 2023
I guess there is a market for op/eds that try to normalize the awful regressive tax called inflation. I don’t know any buyers in that market.
— Raging Minarchist (@RMinarchist) February 7, 2023
It’s really annoying the way some people in the media try to spin inflation for Biden.