" Stupid is not Illegal!" - Is this what causes most of the struggle and discontentment in our lives?

 Dave Ramsey thinks that societal discontent is not really traceable to how much some people make and how little others make, It is made by short term, desperation and impulse driven thinking. People do not think in terms of. " What will my 2017 be like based on what I decide to do or not do today?"
  By the Old question, " What CAN I afford- What can I buy based on what do I truly have available to spend - minus my obligations ! This is predicated upon the idea that how we live must be dictated by our income.

Some believe only the wealthiest people can live this way. That it is nonsense and foolishness to tell anyone else or EXPECT anyone else to live this way!

Others maintain - The Wise, The Intelligent and The Contented know the importance of Delayed Gratification and making do as creatively as you can with what you have.

So, Are the ways people got by with in the 1930's and 1940's still of any value to us today?