In 1960, four. In 1970, three. Today, you can't even buy a decent loaf of bread for a dollar. Inflation is a major assault on your standard of living. The usual reasons.
Fear leads people to seek for the illusion of security.
It does not exist in nature. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring experience or nothing. By clinging to an illusory safety, many of us manage to create for ourselves the very poverty we are seeking desperately to avoid. Safe investing leads to the poorhouse.