I'm with you on this. The replies you're getting in this thread are mind-blowingly tone-deaf. People with no expenses, making gobs and gobs of money, feign-surprise-bragging "WTF how are you not financially independent??? Doesn't everyone save 20% of their salaries and take months off to go canoeing??" It's really quite ugly.

I'd be willing to bet the vast, VAST majority of Americans cannot just up and quit their job because they got a hangnail and felt sad about it. Not having a job tomorrow is my biggest nightmare. It's a nightmare that haunts billions of people on the planet. gregd's astonishment at this article is understandable.

If you're socking away tons money into savings each month, you need to take a look at yourself [YES THIS MEANS YOU, person hovering over the "reply" button], stop and look at yourself and realize you are one of a very lucky privileged few who can afford such a luxury. Be thankful for it, and don't pretend to be surprised that everyone here is not equally fortunate.