[RickJWagner]

So much to disagree with here.

The path to gathering wealth is simple, and anyone has a good chance of success. See Bogleheads.org for details. ( Once the path is clearly understood, discipline is the primary factor. You have to live below your means, there is no exception. Also, a long compounding timeframe is useful. )

You can live YOLO like the rabbit or you can live like Warren Buffet the tortoise. You don’t get rich quickly, you get rich slowly with large gains at the end, after compounding has done its magic.

Financial literacy is easy to obtain, but watch your sources. Trust the Bogleheads!

[readthenotes1]

Well, trust the multi-millionaire bogleheads :)

[ninalanyon]

> anyone has a good chance of success. .. discipline is the primary factor. You have to live below your means, there is no exception.

The people living on two dead end jobs that don't properly feed their families and leave them vulnerable to dismissal if their car breaks down so they can't get to work really do not have 'a good chance of success'.

They are not in a position to live below their means without imposing monastic levels of discipline and deprivation on their children.

Horatio Alger was a mythologist, not a documentarian.

[RickJWagner]

Sure, ok.

But there are many, many people who can find financial success with a little knowledge and discipline. The FIRE community is full of people on all points on the journey.

On the other hand, giving up and spending what you make assures you won’t become wealthy.

For many people, it’s a choice. For a few, circumstances and bad luck drive the end result. I think it’s wise to prepare as if you’re in the capable majority, not the unfortunate minority.