it is trading money for shelter, a basic human need--nobody ever says spending money on food is throwing it away "because you have nothing to show for it after time" so not sure why spending money for shelter is the form of rent payment is a problem.
For young people, a house early on, regardless of size, becomes a pain in the butt when they need to sell later for a job relocation or whatever. Renting until life is a little more set is a good idea.