Yeah, and then reality kicks in... you have to realize, some of us are kind of "stuck" in situations where we live in very high cost of living areas. Which I do. Due to family obligations, jobs, location/roots, etc.

Would I like to unplug? Sell my house? Buy a lake front cabin? And go 90% off-grid? Yes! Absolutely.

Would my wife/kids/family like this? No. Not so much.

Also note, that while I witnessed the generation before me overwhelmingly get a pretty sweet deal with very little to worry about - I still grew up in a really shitty area and a pretty terrible economic/social situation. Took a ton of hard work and some insanely risky bets/decisions to get where I am today.

I could move 45 minutes south and be in an area where the real estate/cost of living is 40-50% less of where I'm at; but the circumstances do not allow for that right now.

At the end of the day you simply need to look at a time chart plotting cost of living vs. average earnings, not even focused on geography, to see that our current situation is absolutely horrible when compared to prior generations, until you literally go back to the Depression. The gap between costs/spending power vs. wages earned has never been wider. And it's why an entire generation has spent 5 - 10 years working, only to live with their parents with little to no savings.

Not saying it's impossible; but it's very difficult unless they are extremely frugal and committed to saving as much as possible for many years. Which is only possible if they live with their parents and costs are covered while they save.

Meanwhile, my parents were able to buy their first home from my dad working 2 hourly jobs and my mom staying home w/ the kids.

Could you imagine a situation today in which the father could work @ Applebee's during the day and then nightshift at CostCo... and the mother stayed home... and they could buy a single family house? With today's economy this scenario would barely afford them enough money to pay rent and eat healthy, in a shitty apartment.

It's not the same.