I think a financial situation needs to be evaluated with future needs as well as current assets. Due to the US's general lack of social safety nets, retirement

I think a financial situation needs to be evaluated with future needs as well as current assets. Due to the US's general lack of social safety nets, retirement is primarily funded by savings of the person who is retiring. The recommended amount of savings to have by the time of retirement is 10 times your salary [0]. So by actively cultivating an addiction and leeching away retirement savings, this could easily be removing the possibility that somebody will be able to retire at all. I might agree with you in countries that have a more reasonable and less individualistic approach to social welfare, but not in the US. [0] https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/retirement/how-much-do-i-need-to-retire https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/retirement/how-much-do-i...