I agree that 'advanced' capitalism (and capitalism will always drive itself forward until it's 'advanced') is a scam.
One upshot is that it's now the norm for both parents to work full-time when babies and toddlers are still very young.
Research has always shown that babies need a secure attachment with one consistent care-giver - not chaotic, crowded, loud environments where staff turnover is high. We know that the standard of 'industrial' - sorry, but that's what it is, and needs to be to sustain this model - childcare is exceptionally low when compared to many other developed countries. I (genuinely, and not just to enrage or upset people) think we will see the results in the next decade and it won't be good either for individual children or for society as a whole.
It's a massive social experiment and a massive con. Capitalism needs us to buy, on and on and on, and it will always adapt and coopt and shift in order to keep consumption increasing. Thus it's successfully convinced us that a certain standard of living is the minimum we deserve - and that without certain objects and services we're not 'living'. So families work full pelt to afford this lifestyle - and pay out even more in convenience foods and extra services in order to make family life even vaguely possible.
It's true that housing costs make it harder to survive one one income. But my honest belief is that, with serious cutbacks in spending, it would be possible for many families to survive for a few years on one or 1.5 incomes.
What should have happened is that men should have been forced/enabled to take half the load - so both couples go part-time and care is split between them. That's child-centred, but also equality-focused.
I know lots will disagree, but what we have is horrible.Thirty odd years ago it was very much not the norm, and I don't think anyone - women, men, and most of all babies and toddlers - has benefitted.