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The theory that people are exposed to more people than they would have decades ago (because of social media, swipe apps, etc) , and so standards have risen, is interesting.
A similar argument has been made about the surge in 'hustle culture'. In 1970, the average middle class person in the average middle class suburb rarely saw the lifestyle of the genuinely rich, only occasionally in a James Bond movie or a period drama or something. There were people who went their whole lives without ever seeing what a first-class international airline seat even looked like. In the 21st century, again a combination of reality TV and social media means that far more people see just what being rich is like (at least in terms of material goods and experiences), creating envy and making them want to 'hustle' harder. "Everyone" on Instagram is staying at $5000 a night resorts or flying first-class on Emirates or whatever, and they're saying you can too if you only try harder.
There's that, and also the fact that people aren't as willing to accept straight-up no-bullshit tragedy in order to get married. Fifty years ago, a short guy might've been willing to settle for a batshit crazy woman who hits him and tried to strangle their 11-year-old son once...as long as it happens behind closed doors. An awkward guy might've been okay living What's Eating Gilbert Grape with a 450-pound wife and a couple of kids. An autistic woman might simply accept being with a shithead that beats her and the kids. Now that incomes have gone up, religion isn't as strong as it once was, and the Internet has given even isolated people a clearer understanding of what's NOT NORMAL as well as top-tier bullshit to strive for...these people are choosing to cut their losses and remain single.
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That or it's that wages have stagnated, particularly for the lower segments of the workforce, and a lot of jobs have left and/or been replaced by more precarious alternatives. Standing still and just working a random job you got early forever may not seem as viable.
At my warehouse job the old-timers both complained and bragged about the situation: they allegedly had much better pension plans that no new employee was getting but also hadn't gotten a good raise in a while and the company was chipping away at their privileges. Meanwhile the newer workers were basically swapped out every so often to stop them becoming permanent and getting similar benefits (iirc this was a thing from the last negotiation)
The older workers arguably "hustled" - just in the one workplace. They looked forward to long overtime at peak demand so they could make money. The younger workers couldn't really count on a permanent job there and, even if they got it, probably couldn't count on a great life as a company man giving living costs so I imagine hustle media selling them creative alternatives is way more attractive.
Which fits my impression that this dream is sold to people trying to avoid bad spots (Tate, for example, sells both hustle culture and PUA tactics to people who feel like they've lost in both markets, I also see it a lot in black media). Better off people have a more traditional "become a doctor or get a high SAT score" track.
Yeah. You also have a big difference between people looking for the best outcome and ones interested in the least bad outcome...these are very different things. Tate hustlers want to get rich, not be middle-income plumbers or something who have a decent chance of getting off the tools and starting a small plumbing business when they're 40. PUAs are more concerned with dating hot, loyal women than avoiding really fucked-up shit that sends people to the hospital and morgue.
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