When we hear about "the economy" in the news, it is usually the macro-economy, focusing on the stock market, GDP growth, inflation and unemployment. But that is really only the economy from a 10,000 ft view. The "REAL" economy is the economy as it is felt by real, everyday human beings. People who work for a living, and can't count on investments and huge salaries or stock options. The real economy has been getting worse for decades, and the current coronavirus pandemic is highlighting a lot of these problems.