Joseph, you misconstyrued my point. My point was that the gemara recorded a study of those who actively tried Torah im derech eretz vs. those who tried toraso umnaso. The gemara records that toraso umnaso was a failure for most people. It has nothing to do with America.
there are those who view anyone learning in yeshiva as an unproductive benchwarmer and never understand the idea of talmud torah keneged kulam and adam le’amal yulad meaning learning. That’s not what this is about. Kolel is a special type of learning where one is able to learn after marriage for a number of years with his bills being paid for by his wife, parents and in-laws. The realities of olam hazeh (as caused by the sin of Adam) mean that the bill for olam hazeh has to be paid, in some form or another. If people don’t have the means to support a kollel man, then the kolel man is not doing a mitzvah by demanding it. There are plenty of rich baalei battim who are still able to support their sons-in law in comfort despite these harsh economic realities. Good for them. Torah has what to flourish with. I’m not sure part of this you’re disagreeing with, so please clarify what I’m saying that’s wrong.