I love that the woman featured in the article responded to comments! With such good humor, clarifying that she wasn't suffering by eating those PB&J sandwiches, and that she did travel and has a very full life.
The other comments though...
When you live in the Midwest, you learn very quickly that it's a cultural phenomenon to believe that you don't deserve the most basic of things, like a vacation or decent tasting food. I know 2-earner families who have to file for bankruptcy, those who can only afford enough gas to get to work, who consider dinner an unappetizing experience to get over with, like defecation. They have been taught to believe they should pay for the wealthy's taxes and that it's their fault they can't afford healthcare. It's why they vote for Trump. It's why I know too many Midwesterners who die needlessly in their 40's.
what. Food can be so cheap, and so yummy! I'm not the best example of this, because we eat a fair amount of pricey meat, but if we needed to we could certainly cut back and still have wonderful frugal homemade meals! This makes me sad because eating shouldn't be a chore, but it also sounds like the poster is exaggerating for dramatic effect.
Also, I live in the Midwest and at work the parking lot is full of big shiny trucks - one of the 'most basic of things'?. It's a LCOL area. I'll admit to making way over minimum wage, but a 2-income household at minimum wage is enough to live - a bare bones lifestyle maybe, but doable...if you don't have too many kids.
I wonder of part of it is being a YP, but I don't understand the attitude of feeling like the company owes me anything but my salary. Sure, I love getting free meals and gear and whatnot, but it's their right to lay me off at any time. But I see a very different expectation from the union mechanics, who expect to be treated a certain way by the company (maybe from a previous era). It's a corporate behemoth, not a friendly family-owned business. It will fulfill it's contractual agreements but save/make money anywhere possible.