Has the economy gone C-shaped?

A new NPR discussion asks whether the economy has gone C-shaped. It compares this idea with the better-known image of a K-shaped economy. The two letters offer different ways to think about how rich and poor people are doing.

In a K-shaped economy, the rich and poor are pulling apart. The image of the letter K suggests two lines moving in different directions. One group moves one way, while the other group moves another way. In this description, the distance between them is growing.

The C-shaped idea gives a different picture. It says that rich and poor people are coming back together. Instead of moving farther apart, the two sides are described as becoming closer again. The letter C represents this return toward one another.

NPR hears the case for both descriptions. This means the debate is not only about choosing one letter. It is also about what parts of the economy people notice when they describe its direction.

The discussion suggests that the same economy can look different depending on where someone focuses attention. A person who looks at a growing divide may see a K. Someone who sees rich and poor people coming back together may see a C.

The question is therefore simple to ask but harder to answer: Which letter best describes the economy? NPR does not present the issue as a single picture for everyone. Instead, it compares the two views and asks listeners to think about what they are paying attention to.