I like to be a contrarian when I comment in the r/antiwork section of reddit. I often see it as a bunch of whiny brats that want everything now. I must admit we saved and made it to a high net worth coming from lower income families and earning middle, middleclass income, well under $100,000.
Lots of complaints about earning $15 an hour, neither my wife nor I ever earned that much, (but yes, inflation).
The conversation got off on a tangent about it all being Reagan's fault.
Here's a link, but is is a long thread so I'll quote a bit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/comments/t1s6ge/thoughts_on_this_found_on_facebook_and_comments/hyieqxu/?context=8&depth=9"I blame Reagan for everything. Even Russian aggression…."
"Except for California Public Schools funding. He cut that drastically as governor, and was the primary reason my Mom (republican) didn't vote for him."
"He did it to save America’s global businesses. We were being edged out by Germans and Japanese companies. But I agree he made this country worse for the average worker."
"He did it to maintain the profit margins of America's global businesses."
And then the contrarian!
"You all are starting to wear on me, my best earning and saving years were when Reagan was president. I was about 30 yrs old. I did well, and the economy prospered for years after he left. I'm retired now, but I keep hearing all these young people whine about how hard it is. Maybe it is, the standard is different now, my wife and I earned $18,000 in 1982 and saved $6,000, the inflation adjusted numbers would be, earn $54,000 and save $18,000. The difference is we didn't try to keep up with the Jones's. We had used cars, no cell phones, didn't eat out much, mowed our own lawn, no boat, no snow mobile or 4 wheeler, we didn't have social media that showed how well others are doing. We didn't show a picture every time we went out to eat. We saved something from every check, we invested in the stock market, we didn't have BTC to gamble on. I just don't know if it is really that much harder to make it now or, if it is just people want, want, want, and so complain about what they think others have. I follow other groups of hard working people saving as much as they can and so then they can retire early. I'm sure they don't love their jobs, it is a means to an end. They just keep plugging away with a whole different attitude. I think that is the difference, they believe there is a better future and are working and saving for it, others just see a bleak future and, here we are. It might turn out OK, some of my generation were the hippies and turned out good."
"Full time at $15 an hour is $30,000 per year. Adjusted for inflation, you’re already more than 50% ahead on gross income alone. 20% of the population makes less than that. The idea that someone can save 1/3 of their income when housing alone can be almost half is the kind of self-centered boomer logic that falls apart before you’re even done establishing the premises. The “fuck you, I got mine” attitude really gets old after your generation spent decades dismantling everything that allowed you to succeed. You pulled the ladder up after yourselves, and are now standing atop the cliff calling us lazy for failing to fly up and join you."
Contrarian again.
"The only thing you missed is that the $54,000 was with both me and my wife working so, now, two making $30k each is 11% over what we earned. To bring that back to par 20% of the population earns less than $60,000. Meaning if you lived like that 20%, you could be saving money and building a nest egg. There is always an excuse as to 'why you can't', how about jumping on the 'why we can' bandwagon."