Many privileged progressive critics are misunderstanding this film
The film was either not intended to be an indictment of the way modern capitalism ruthlessly and inexorably grinds low-wage workers under its gears, or it is a muddled, toothless, and ineffectual one that failed utterly to lay a glove on its target. I believe it is the former. (Either way, it’s easy for me to see why Amazon was okay with being used as a location.)
Her argument against real estate was not about inequality but about being against putting such a high priority on home ownership. She prefers the nomadic existence.
The source nonfiction book, as I understand it, does not have Fern as a character. Her town ceasing to exist is to provide a catalyst to cause her to enter this nomad milieu. She thus serves as an audience surrogate, someone who has previously lived a more conventional existence we can relate to.
No manager ever yells at Fern, asks her to do something she doesn’t want to, or screws with her schedule. Nor do we see this happening to any other worker. There is nary a mention of wages, benefits, or unions. Yes, she is told no more work is available at one point, but that’s the point of the nomad community she then hooks up with: they show her the circuit, around the country, where different employers need people at different times. She never goes hungry or fails to have gas money.
Two different people either talk about or are shown getting expensive medical care for major ailments, but there is no mention of lack of health insurance or difficulty paying for medical care. One character seems to get all the care he needs, while the other decides to forgo the care because she would rather spend her last months outdoors living life rather than inside a hospital.
Finally, Fern has two opportunities to live in very nice stationary homes with people who love her and value her company (it’s not just pity). Possibly three if you count the offer from the woman at the store. That’s just not what fulfills her. It has nothing to do with economic hardship.