> The author isn't mysteriously broke. Money is not being stolen from his account. Rather, he's spending a lot of money on things which he believes are necessities (like paying for a child's wedding), and sacrificing a lot of things which he believes is optional (like having retirement savings). Some would suggest both categorizations are wrong.
Bingo.
As much as I think of social security as a ponzi scheme, one thing I do like about it is that it forces people to contribute and they can't touch their contributions. Sure you might only get $.60 back for every dollar you throw in there but hey at least you'll get something.
It's sad to say it, but the majority of people are not financially savvy enough to make sound decisions. Left to their own devices most people wouldn't save diddly squat, work till they're fired, then be destitute. And they probably won't have kids to take care of them anymore either because "Kids are expensive ... you can't afford that!".