Due to recent economic conditions, I've come to realize that the modern dream of buying a house/starting a family is a tenuous one at best. The fact of the matter is that there is a finite amount of resources on the planet, so infinite economic growth is unsustainable. Sooner or later, we will run out of cheap oil/natural gas/coal, and we will be forced to simplify. Our species has overshot the earth's carrying capacity with vast overpopulation.
I no longer feel that digital banking has a bright future because it is reliant on an electrical grid, and a globalized system of mineral extraction, which is extremely fragile. There is a finite amount of copper, palladium, lithium, and cobalt that can be used to build and maintain datacenters. At a certain point, there simply won't be enough materials to continue to power and maintain the massive network of datacenters that make up the internet today. If we don't run out of natural gas to power them first, then we will run out of diesel fuel to ship the necessary parts.
So, I have given up on the dream instilled in me from childhood to buy a house and have kids. I am going to live a minimalist lifestyle teaching English in South Korea. Right now, I have no debt, no kids, and no responsibilities. I have about $260k saved, $100k of which is tied up in my 401k. Even this amount is not much considering that starter homes are $500k+, and will inevitably require massive repairs due to increased weather severity from climate change. It no longer makes sense for me to try to live the traditional, high resource lifestyle of having several kids and owning a large suburban house. Due to resource depletion, this is a lifestyle that is only possible for most people by utilizing large amounts of debt.
It's been an interesting, and very eye-opening ride. However, now I am thoroughly disillusioned.
We are living in fantastically unique times due to a one-time windfall of fossil fuels. It won't last forever.