you just can't compare

I do not think it is fair to compare our generation with generations of the past. It is true that our grandparents worked hard to obtain their possessions and achieve "the american dream." The fact of the matter is that the landscape of the American economy has changed since early 20th century. For starters, the United States was the manufacturing center of the world. Unskilled laborers could afford to buy homes and save money. This is no longer the case. The few jobs in production that are left do not pay enough to sustain a family. Nowadays, to break out of poverty, a college education more often then not required. When looking back on the past we cannot forget that it was a different time back then, or overlook the economic hardships that people faced throughout the last century. It is important to keep things in perspective and not just dream about a past generation that never existed.