Why is it everyone thinks you need to pick a lane between understanding neocolonialism and recogniIng the effects that expenses have on US workers? No, people are not going into debt just to buy treats, people are not "reentering the labor market" they are getting a second job. You are being purposefully misled.
The portion of the US labor force that does benefit from imperialism consists of those with marginal benefits from retirement packages and those who were able to store wealth in the property market (read: white people because banks love them so much), people employed in upper management, insurance, medical, tech, entertainment, journalism, academia, finance, military and military contracting, things of that nature. People who directly benefit from the affluence in the few industries the west maintains a high tier monopoly on, or benefit from the impoverishment of most Americans. I would say the proportion of US workers who believe imperialism helps them is much higher than the proportion who really benefit. After all, does someone with a house and a 401k really benefit from deluding himself into thinking he is an investor and real estate magnate?
This situation has accelerated massively since the 90s, 4/5 americans work in the SERVICE INDUSTRY. They work at MCDONALDS. Your parents are "treat brained" because YOUR FAMILY HAS MONEY.
In the next episode I will explain the colonial comprador class in peripheral countries, how they benefit from imperialism, and how they are being peeled away from the west by its aggression despite their servile attitude and determination to beggar their countrymen and those of neighboring counties.