Soaring is very expensive: specially the initial investment. I’m in my mid 20’s; it cost me $4,500 for a private pilot certificate, and I was lucky to buy a standard cirrus In great shape for less than $12,000; plus 900$ insurance and around 3000$ in tows a year. I could have paid my car loan, or put a down payment for a house... I been hanglidng for a couple years, so i jumped into sailplanes with both feet since I was already addicted to soaring, but the average young individual that takes a demo flight might not be able to waste his money on soaring.