Everyone I know is doing well and looking forward to the next 4 years. Just look at the stock market, which anyone can invest in. I started back when I was making $4 an hour, now doing very well.
$4/he starting wage makes you around my parents age (50+) so I’m guessing you easily earn six figures now since you hang out on HN. The crowd here does not represent poor people very well (which is fine!) but you can’t extrapolate your experience to everyone. Yea the stock market is great, but it says nothing about the single mom working two jobs to put food on the table with no energy left to tinker with ETFs.