Slashdot can be quite pessimistic at times. Their technical knowledge and research skills are quite impressive though.
I also saw at some point an article or study about how many people at certain ages think they'll never be able to retire, yet somehow they do, and most are able to retire. They may just not have the retirement they envisioned.
I think most people just don't know what to do, so they follow the standard advice (save 5-10% of your salary), and do what everyone else does - buy expensive toys, vacations, etc.
I feel bad for those who just follow the script - it's not their fault, they just never learned there was a better way. I'm glad MMM and others like him are helping to open some people's eyes.