Plenty of workers have to take loans just to pay rent or healthcare. And even if they did borrow to invest, they can't sell without paying CG. And what if they bet wrong?

When I couldn't pay the rent, I acquired a roommate. Very few young people need to see a doctor.

As for CG taxes, they don't apply if you don't sell, and no CG taxes are owed if the gains are less than $49,000.

> And what if they bet wrong?

Everything in life is a risk. The idea with stocks is to diversify, which you can do by buying an ETF.