Part of the discord with this franchise, is that it is so far removed from what it was originally - a life simulation.
Remnants of gameplay left with the Sims 3 (according to most). Current timeline is outta sync, aspirations are for noobs (not gamers) & mods are almost always necessary to fix the bug issues or create a good storyline before the devs get around to it.
However, I do feel that the Sims 4 is a direct reflection of our current era. The inclusion & adjustments made over the past 7 yrs are a true complement to the game. Pools & toddlers & skin tones, oh my. CAS & BB are excellent sandbox mechanics which help us build a really pretty dollhouse in a kinda cute town.