When people describe young newcomers as "bottom of the barrel" and such, simply because $35 isn't pocket change to them, one gets the idea that NOBODY measures up to their "standards"....
....even though, when THEY were newcomers, the licenses and tests were FREE, an ARRL License Manual cost 50 cents, and many opf them had kindly Elmers spoon-feeding them everything they needed to know to get started.
And back then, all it took to get full privileges was a General or Conditional.
No, they forget all that.