but I believe that most of us end up with results that are congruent with the choices we make.

When I began adulthood, I made less (like. . . a lot less) than the couple in this example. I didn't drive the nicest of cars, but I paid cash for what I drove. I paid my bills and survived on what I had left over.

I thought I was doing fine, but after getting married and starting a family, I finally gave in to my wife's nudges that we could do better. We evaluated different careers that made sense and would provide a good return on the investment in school. I returned to school and earned an advanced degree while working 30-40 hours per week, and we were blessed that my wife was able to stay home with our kids.

Now I make substantially more than the couple in this example. I could have remained in the situation I was in, but I chose to change it. And no, it wasn't easy. I didn't sleep much for several years and we didn't go on expensive vacations or own many nice things. But it was possible. The American dream is alive and well for those who choose to take advantage of it and sacrifice. If you are willing to put in the time, you can do well in school. If you're 18 years old and have a pulse, you can get student loans that will allow you to do so. If that's not your bent, there are apprenticeships in various trades that will allow you to make really good money within a few years. If you're entrepreneurial by nature, there's never been a better time or economy in the history of the world to start your own business.

Most Americans in 2022 who complain about their standard of living aren't being honest with themselves about how good they have it. I would venture to say that the bottom 20% of earners in America have a better standard of living than the great majority did a century ago. Many of the things that we consider "needs" didn't exist when I was a kid. Yes, I enjoy high-speed internet, unlimited use of a smartphone, cable TV, etc. etc. etc., but I lived the first three decades of my life without any of those things because they either didn't exist yet or because I couldn't afford them. It didn't kill me to go without them, and I was honestly just as happy back then as I am now.

I've been on both extremes of the income scale. And from either end, my observation has been that you usually get what you focus on and work for. Anyway, that's my $0.02 worth.