[geekman]

To a certain extent this guy has a point. You are rich if you can afford a good lifestyle without having to work for a living. These people have a high income, but they also have high level of spending and they have nowhere near the assets to support their lifestyles.

So, rather than being rich, they are wage slaves with high incomes.

When you have enough money to stop working and still have the lifestyle you want, your life is completely different. It buys you the one thing that is really precious - the time to do what you want with your life.

Although I am not extremely wealthy, I have enough savings to stop working and to spend my time the way I want.

The other interesting aspect of this case is that it is a classic example of the hedonic treadmill. No matter how rich you are, how successful, how productive, after a while the joy wears off and you think: If only I had a bit more, then I'd be happy. The millionaire thinks he or she needs $10m, with $10m you think $100m, etc. "The only way to win this game is not to play".