Not at all a joke. Here's the rest of the paragraph:
"Then there’s our responsibility. We’re used to feeling helpless because for most of our lives we’ve been subject to huge forces beyond our control. But pretty soon, we’ll actually be in charge. And the question, as we age into power, is whether our children will one day write the same article about us. We can let our economic infrastructure keep disintegrating and wait to see if the rising seas get us before our social contract dies. Or we can build an equitable future that reflects our values and our demographics and all the chances we wish we'd had. Maybe that sounds naïve, and maybe it is. But I think we're entitled to it."
Only a whining little biotch like you would consider that a joke. But you always have to blame someone, anyone but yourself.
RE: pricing of homes in Seattle - Seattle is now a major international city. Thirty to forty years ago it was a curious outpost.