Commenting without reading.
I’m 70. When I was young, some people were poor and some weren’t and nobody thought anything about. It just was. And some poor became rich and some rich lost their fortunes. In fact, people who had made and lost several fortunes were the only ones people talked about.
I never made $500k in any year, but I sure lived an American Dream and still do!
Some would say the American Dream is being able to think what you like and say what you like and worship however you choose without having a bayonet shoved into your belly.
$500K a year is certainly nice but personal comfort and financial independence arrive at a far lower level for anyone with a reasonable amount of personal responsibility. I’ve never been close to that in regular income but own my home debt free, drive a 2018 Navigator that I paid cash for, and fly domestic first class on the rare occasions when I fly. Actually to need that much I’d have to be addicted gambler or a serious drug addict.