Lessee: I have three nieces. One has been working for a few years, and is travelling the world and making nice bucks. The other, after a few years of aimless wandering, found a good job in NYC and is also making nice money, and living only a short distance away from her sister, which probably annoys the both of them.
The third is in college in Georgia.
I have one nephew: he fell into a job at a place that sells movie props & such to folks who go in for that kind of thing, and is doing very well. He'll soon be starting his first year at college.
My brother continues with his job, a high paying one with a very specialized skill.
My brother-in-law runs his own vet practice in Mexico, mostly catering to expatriate Americans.
My sister stays home, but her husband is a successful executive, so that kinda works out, eh? She got her master gardener degree, and is off and running doing that stuff, and annoying me whenever she comes up here and looks at our backyard.
In my neighborhood, the guy across the street who was struggling found a job a year ago in NYC doing stuff that's right up his alley. Everyone else is steady state.
In short, life goes on as normal in these United States. Don't believe everything you read.