OK, so to summarize. We have a number who agree with my suggestion and a number who say they are not themselves average, but nobody has proposed an alternative!
An alternative to what?
There are loads of different aircraft types. If you want to fly VFR in fair weather, the permit/ultralight stuff is fine. If you need to go places or need more utility value, then you need to push (much) further in terms of qualifications and training and budgets and get your IR and a decent IFR plane. If you like aeros you get into yet something else.
I am sorry to agree (but I do) with Mike Cross's suggestion that GA airfields will eventually close. Still, a lot depends on how successful the newcomers like DA40/DA42/SR22 are. They aren't cheap but they are much more capable (both legally and practically) and - contrary to what the low-end owners are preaching - there is plenty of money around. The fact that the GA scene is very poor in attracting affluent individuals right now does not mean this will always be the case. There is still time to turn things around: lots of GPS approaches into grass airfields without ATC, that would be a very good start in giving GA utility value.