The Rise of the Middle Class

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Many consumer-facing companies have historically targeted their business models at the middle class. But that sturdy core is facing a lot of financial pressure from inflation and a slowing job market. That has left companies that cater to this squeezed middle in a bind, says Tom Lee Devlin.

The past few years have proved tumultuous both for American consumers and for retailers selling to them. The end result is a curious slump for middle-of-the-road brands. Artificial intelligence like ChatGPT stands to disrupt everything from art to coding; we self-interestedly explore probable effects on journalism. And remembering Ranajit Guha, a historian who saw a different India by looking bottom-up.

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