This exactly. To achieve the same things that our previous generation achieved (quality of life, financial stability, and betterment of our future generations)

This exactly. To achieve the same things that our previous generation achieved (quality of life, financial stability, and betterment of our future generations) takes a lot more resources (time and money), to the point that min/maxing is necessary. My cousin lives in Texas, where I had a glimpse of what it was like back in the day. Her 2000 sqft house cost 200k, and she paid it off on a 50k salary. She lives very well, and has no financial worries; life is a bit boring for her. If I were to buy the equivalent house in my current city, it would cost 20x as much. And it's not just housing that's skyrocketed, it's every aspect of modern day living. It's truly a multi-decade goal, and min maxing is important to being able to achieve it.