You're not losing your mind. Your perspective is different, and it might perhaps change over time. From your description of your upbringing it sounds like we

You're not losing your mind. Your perspective is different, and it might perhaps change over time. From your description of your upbringing it sounds like we have/had a lot in common. I was raised by a single father who made $40k/year at best. I was able to get a "new" computer every 3 years from age 11 on, but that was about it. My clothes were old. My shoes didn't fit well. My school backpack was held together by safety pins. My car in high school was bought for $800 and was almost as old as I was. My first job was for $75k - 80% more than my father was making at the time. Now I make more money than my entire family at their maximum earnings even adjusted for inflation. This doesn't impress me, give me any comfort or a sense of success. The drive, for me, for a "fuck-you money" payout is this simple desire: "I don't want anyone to tell me what to do with my time."