I live very simply, avoiding all unnecessary luxuries. I prefer to make my bicycle my main means of transportation and I prefer to cook my own food (being one of the best cook I know helps...).
Yet I entirely agree with your statement.
A million dollars is "not enough to secure a dignified existence in the US" because...
... Human beings require a community for a dignified existence.
Yes, a million won't guard against a health emergency... human beings indeed sometimes suddenly need the full-time attention of a dozen other people for a long time and if that attention comes from only money, it has to be a lot of it.
If you're counting on only money to secure your dignified existence, you're going to need a awful lot of it, enough to secure the mere existence of maybe a dozen people...
Yet I entirely agree with your statement.
A million dollars is "not enough to secure a dignified existence in the US" because...
... Human beings require a community for a dignified existence.
Yes, a million won't guard against a health emergency... human beings indeed sometimes suddenly need the full-time attention of a dozen other people for a long time and if that attention comes from only money, it has to be a lot of it.
If you're counting on only money to secure your dignified existence, you're going to need a awful lot of it, enough to secure the mere existence of maybe a dozen people...