[SaintGhurka]

If the world doesn't end, and it usually doesn't, you'll wish you had put something into your 401k.

Please view your own pessimism with a bit of skepticism. Pessimism tends to betray people who buy into it too much.

I heard very similar things 30 years ago when I was <25 and in part I bought into it. And buying into it did me damage because none of it came to pass. Society continued to muddled along.

It's possible that the system will suffer a disorderly collapse, or maybe it will be uprooted and replaced with something more progressive. Just don't bet your future on either outcome.