This may be one of the most self-absorbed, egotistical, and subtly offensive things I've seen posted on HN.

Here's something to think about: Being connected with your fellow man has nothing to do with how much money you make or putting arbitrary limits on yourself. If you think limiting your income and taking away "luxuries" in your life is going to somehow change your connections with humanity, you have no sense of what connecting with the common human even entails.

It sounds to me like you're very out of touch with humanity, and that has nothing to do with money IMO.