It's become a useful term for political gain that nobody will clearly define.
Really, people become particularly offended when you point to an example that contradicts their narrative.
"$18.50 is a living wage."
That was just thrown at me.
Okay, I lived in DC on $13.30 an hour.
Last I checked, I'm still alive.
I made rent and utilities. I paid for gas. I paid for dates. I hit up too many happy hours. I made it work.
If I were making that in Arizona, where I currently work, I would have been better off. If I made that in bum-fuck nowhere America, I would be able to buy a house and a couple cars on that wage.
The narrative of a "living wage" has transformed to a comfortable wage. This has also happened without any addression of variables regarding cost of living or potential ramifications.
Maybe, just maybe, small businesses can't afford $52k a year for a mentally handicapped employee to mop the floors. Maybe, just maybe, a high school drop-out with a criminal record looking for a new start would benefit from an employer taking a chance on him at a lower wage. Maybe, just maybe, adults can make their own decision about what's best for them without the government getting involved.