I think it's more about opportunity cost. Look at startups: most first-time entrepreneurs are <25 because that age range generally have very low opportunity c

I think it's more about opportunity cost. Look at startups: most first-time entrepreneurs are <25 because that age range generally have very low opportunity costs; they live with parents, in a dorm, or in low-cost apartments in less than ideal areas. Their mainstream earning potential is low, so entrepreneurship doesn't mean giving up (a chance at) a high-paying job. They have no spouse or kids, so they don't need to worry about how their choices will influence their immediate family. Also, young people generally lack experience, which means their risk assessments are off--they think things are easier than they are, because they don't have similar experiences to compare to. When there is almost no cost, and the perceived risk is low or moderate, entrepreneurship is the rational choice. This is all exactly reversed for the majority of people in my age range (30+). We have high opportunity costs, and we have enough similar experiences that we can make more accurate risk assessments--we know just how much work will be involved, we know the (low) percentage of companies that actually succeed. With high(er) perceived risk and high opportunity costs, it is rational not to go entrepreneur. (And then there are those of us 30-somethings for whom entrepreneurship is enough fun that we are willing to structure our lives to make it possible. :>) The moral? It isn't that the people you know are beaten down. It's that they are reasonably happy. Be happy for them.