Pretty sure most people on Bitcointalk got their coins almost free with CPU GPU mining back in 2009-2010.
Most likely the retail people that are buying Bitcoin now only buy like $100 worth to play around with it. Most of the surge in price was due to investment firms which bought 8 figures worth.
Yeah, and those who really got theirs through mining back in those days when it all started were really lucky, most especially for those who were patient enough to save up till today. Sometimes I wish I was even fortunate enough to be part of those people back then, probably I could have sold some of it anyway during the 2013 crazy shit.
Nevertheless, people still buy with their money though and some even buy more than $100, but I have not really seen any sane person investing in the middle class level now, that is going more than $1000, except for some of the elites and firms like you have said.