"...who work just enough to scrap by, and who do not have the discipline to save and not invest."  This statement is so true. When younger and as needed, I worked 2-3 jobs to be able to save up and pay cash for what I wanted. If I did not have the money, then I could not currently afford whatever "it" was. 
So many people are in debt but still go on that vacation they "deserve", charged to the credit card of course, or buy that expensive car they "deserve" with a 7 year payment plan at 15+% interest. Even lots of little poor financial choices each month add up. If you can't  "afford" a lifestyle you don't "deserve" it. To think otherwise is what puts people in debt. If you don't have the patience to save up at your current rate of income, then work to increase your income. You can either work a bit harder now to get the extra money or you can work forever to pay off the interest for the things you just had to have when you did not have income to support it. The cost of living goes up