If you get were paid $100/hr 5 years ago and are being paid $110/hr today, then you need to have a pretty reasonable idea of economic policy and being able to use enough mathematics to calculate that you are being paid exactly the same amount.

I expect most people on HN wouldn't really struggle with that, but that is because this is a forum infested with scientists, engineers, businesspersons and financiers. Most people won't be able to grasp that being paid $100/hr 5 years ago and $105/hr today means they have taken a pay cut. They would struggle to correctly calculate what the break-even rate would be.