Don’t post nearly as much as I used to but bearishgurl, I’m surprised by this. The whole point of the OP is expectation management and what the proper level is. Telling someone to, “get over it,” is childish and a bit tendentious.

So to the OP you can drop out and work at the barber shop. In the short term the benefits are tangible. Less stress and the ability to get by with more free time. Free time by the way is the most undervalued commodity by many in the rat race. Long term though you are cutting yourself off from information and skills growth that I for one feel will be necessary to survive. That is unless you are trading city life to be a self-sustaining farmer. Good luck with that.

I do love the question though. Its very pertinent for a generation of Americans for whom the standard of living will be materially lower than their parents. Thank you for asking it.
Josh