I think the article reaches a wrong conclusion. Visit Bogleheads.org, you'll find plenty of people who are doing quite well simply by living below their means

I think the article reaches a wrong conclusion. Visit Bogleheads.org, you'll find plenty of people who are doing quite well simply by living below their means and investing the slow, steady way. Also, as near as I can tell, a lot of the FIRE people are younger folk. Don't be fooled into not taking part-- you can be relatively wealthy, if you can just save a little and exercise patience.