Well we are at different investment stages in life who have...

Well we are at different investment stages in life who have different financial commitments and responsibilities, if any at all. I am 35 with no kids and no family to support, who earns only ~60k a year, living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. There are just not enough well paying jobs in the market, which is why I can only manage to acquire a ~60k a year job, despite my experience, qualifications and skills.

My scenarios are the absolute end-game; in part formulated on the serious macro-economic inflationary asymmetry that has taken place where basic costs of food, energy and rent have sky rocketed in major cities around the world. Not much left over for discretionary spending once people have paid for the basics of food, energy and the rent/mortgage, especially if people have children to raise.

It is fair enough for you not to see either of these scenarios developing, it may be because you are in a transition to retirement, or that you are already in retirement. I am certain that either of these scenarios will develop or perhaps a combination of both. My portfolio of assets is as such: ~40% cash, ~40% gold and silver equities, and ~20% physical gold and silver. This asset allocation of mine will remain until the next major global financial crisis.