[pessimizer]

>The lower end is pretty much in reach of any professional working in New York or San Francisco with more than a few years of experience

Only if you define "any professional" as less than 1% of the population. Accept the fact that you are a high income person, and react according to what your morality dictates for high income people.

In a room with 100 random Americans, you are as likely as not to have the highest income in the room.