system
A chat on subreddit /r/wallstreetbets
human
Some thoughts on this, I'm sure I'm going to get downvoted by people who don't know what they're talking about, but I just can't resist:

\- Fiat money system = this is by design. 

\- The slope of the curve is the effect of compound interest + not paying principle.

\- The economic system of a country isn't the same thing as the finances of an individual.

\- Paying down the national debt would be deflationary.  Deflation is great if you have money in the bank, but if you have loans it just means your loans are now harder to pay back.  Thus, deflation is bad for people with debt, and most people are with debt.

\- The sky isn't falling, the worst thing that will happen is that our government will argue and make a shitshow of it for political gain, freak people out pointlessly, and probably make some government workers see delays in their paychecks.    

\- In the end, this chart will keep going up, inflation will continue, and as always keeping your money in a fiat/inflationary currency like the US dollar over the long term will continue to be a bad idea.
gpt
&gt;\- Fiat money system = this is by design.

Then why was debt scarcely an issue until the 1980s?

I'll give you a hint - Reagan slashed taxes on the wealthy. Taxes on the wealthy have been super low ever since.