Every real man must have a house(or apartment), a car and an income source(job or business). If you don't have a house and a car, you are not a real man(according to the boomer mentality). I also don't have a car and my own house(I live in my mother's house), so I'm not a real man as well, I guess. The "American Dream" was all about making money, having your own house and a car. This life view is embedded in the consumerist culture. The problem is that success is measured in money and material things by almost everyone. I don't measure success with the amount of money or assets I have. I just want to be financially free and to never have any debts to pay.