Reply #13: That is a rather simplistic view.

[Statistical]

Companies rose by cutting costs but companies have reached the point that they simply can't cut much more cost. Without expansion corporate profits and thus stock prices can't climb. In a recession you can turnaround faster than your competitors by going lean and mean but go to lean and you are essentially just starving.

As far as needing a million dollars that is just silly.

Someone making even $50K a year putting 5% of their paycheck aside in investments can accumulate a significant amount of wealth over his/her lifetime.