My dad put himself through school while working multiple undesirable jobs to support a family...it took him 18 years to get his Ph.D. After earning his Ph.D., he had to work assembling pools before finding the highest-paying job he has had so far. He still can't accumulate any savings because all of the shit in our house keeps breaking. But he keeps working even when he gets discouraged, because he knows it will get better. He has already spent 18 years waiting for it to get better. He isn't demanding shit just because he wishes he had more money or a higher-paying job. He worked for the opportunities he got.
I have more respect for him than for any protester occupying Wall Street or Boston or wherever.