However, when X user and stripper @botticellibimbo correctly predicted the economic decline in 2022 based on her recent profits at work, economists began to examine the Stripper Index more closely.

Reminds me of that joke statistic - economists have predicted 28 of the last 5 recessions.

Like, it’s fun to talk about “The Stripper Index” because it feels naughty. But is there anything that differentiates it from the Amusement Park Index or the Ice Cream Index? It’s all discretionary spending, and presumably should all point in the same direction. Add to this that (1) sex work is taboo - and therefore may be more likely to be influenced by any number of things, like religious or social media trends, and (2) that much of sex work occurs in black or grey markets, where reported earnings are dubious at best, and I really doubt that this is a significantly better economic indicator than the tools actual economists already use.