Because the lack of effective pensions require you to either work til you die or live off Social Security. Most people don't want to do either, so they direct a

Because the lack of effective pensions require you to either work til you die or live off Social Security. Most people don't want to do either, so they direct a significant amount of their earnings to 401ks and the stock market. The fact that young people struggle really doesn't have much to do with this.