Reminds of the meme, In 1964 the minimum wage was five 90% silver quarters, worth over $25 today.

Gramps could work, save his money, buy a house and have a little left over. We were incentivized to work. Today, it feels like dollar will collapse at any moment, it doesn't buy anything and you'll never afford a house. So yeah, it's hard to exit the system. It's a clever slave system you can't leave even if they unshackle you.