For me it's culture (both familial and National), socioeconomic status of my parents/older siblings, political values, relationship choices and social/economic conditioning.
National Culture: New Zealand didn't have a private retirement system, that I'm aware of, until 2006 when they passed the
KiwiSaver Act. I don't think I was aware of the idea of saving in general, or saving for retirement, in 2006 when I was 21 years old. Child poverty is a huge problem in NZ.
Familial Culture: Choosing a career for the sole motivation of optimizing your earning potential was basically considered wrong, or not considered at all, in my family of origin. Starving artist seemed to be considered the ideal. The only reference I ever heard to savings was that we, the children, once had savings accounts. Homeownership is unusual in my family. My mother doesn't believe in inheritance. She had 6 children (3 are my half siblings). Only one of my siblings broke the mold, working in finance and hating it, to become financially stable. He has a child and a wife with MS, though.
Political Values: This is pretty much linked to the family culture - wealth accumulation is only possible for the upper class and they are morally reprehensible for doing so. Unless you win the lottery. Obviously I don't feel this way any more.
Relationship Choices: I have never had a partner who paid 1/2 or more of the household expenses nor did 1/2 or more of the household work. I do not expect to ever do so. Deadbeat boyfriend from 16-23 y/o. Disabled husband from 24-onward (married at 26). I don't state this with bitterness - I am happily married - it's simply my reality due to the choices I have made (I'm not looking for pity). This added to the paycheck to paycheck mentality though I was starting to like the idea of an emergency fund after I married.
Social Conditioning: In NZ I never ever thought about retirement. I had a KiwiSaver account that took 3% of my income and I received tax rebate contributions from the government. I looked at it occasionally. Since moving to the USA at age 27 I have been
constantly told I
will never be able to
retire. The very first time that it occurred to me that homeownership might be possible for me was when I heard of the Tiny House movement. Since finding MMM I am working on paying down debt (auto loan 0%) and planning to save for a (small but not tiny) 20% house down payment and eventually reach FI and RE with the goal of 45 y/o but I have my doubts if I can reach it. It's only 14 years away at this stage.