One drizzly afternoon last fall, Reich sat in the parlor of his sprawling but understated home near Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass., and talked about the price he and many other Americans are paying for their affluence as well as what we, collectively and as individuals, can do to make our lives more sane. In the new economy, there is more choice than ever for consumers, and it's never been easier to switch products and brands. But that means that all the producers and sellers have to hustle harder to keep every consumer and attract new ones. It turns out they are us too. We are the ones who have to hustle harder to do it better, faster, cheaper than our competitors.
Competition is more intense than ever, and people are feeling that in their daily lives.
Data shows that most Americans are putting in many more hours than before, and that's especially true of people who are at managerial and professional levels. The great irony is that the more money you earn, the more pressure you are under and the more frenzied your lives are. Many people take it out on corporations. The great irony is that the more money you earn, the more pressure you are under and the more frenzied your lives are. The new economy is also pushing companies to reduce all routine costs, including the cost of routine labor.