When I was a kid, I used to think that people in the government could break the law and pretty much do whatever they wanted.
Then I grew up and learned that wasn’t really true.
Then I grew up some more and realized I was actually right the first time.
Economics is notorious for its ability/attempts to seem like hard science when, in reality, it's far closer to a social science.
How to MLM:
You ever think about how bad we had to fuck up to create a world where robots taking all the jobs is somehow a bad thing.
My children's school is missing certain subjects due to lack of teachers, the roads are full of potholes, the sidewalks littered with trash, buildings are gray and ugly and decrepit, people on the streets need food and shelter and care, the frigging planet is cooking and desperately in need of new kinds of housing, heating, transportation, entertainment—wherever you look there's work to be done; real, productive, meaningful, community-building work; and there are no jobs!! What's up with that? 1% of my country has as much money as the entire bottom 50% and no one's paying for work!! They just sit on the cash like dragons atop a pile of gold!! Best system my ass.
900 children die per day because they don't have access to clean water. I put it in a machine to make little clouds in my room so my throat isn't scratchy when I sleep at night.
I think that the point of the story is not really about how often Holden complains but what and how he complains.
To me a great companion to this story is The Great Gatsby. On the surface the characters are shallow and annoyingly coy with their intentions. They seem to have no point - hell their lives are pointless, soaked in apathy and liquor.
Underneath all that is fear. Fear of rejection, fear of the unknown, fear of failure, and fear of oneself. I always felt bad for Holden because underneath his tough and bitter facade is a child alone in a world that cares nothing for him.
On the Catcher in the Rye
Many from the generation that hated & bullied 'nerds' in HS in the 80s & early-90s (and perpetuated anti-nerd hate) are now the same anti-intellectuals on social media calling people 'elitists' & 'snobs' for speaking like they're informed or educated.
The Internet was awesome until everyone showed up.
'I love animals!' Says a child.
'Be a vet.' Says the guidance adviser.
'Kill my dog.' Says the customer.