Some of that insecurity is self-inflicted
If your mortgage payment and overall living expenses are so high that you can only get by with a high paying job then you've shackled yourself to your org and should fear being fired
If you live well below your means you'll have a large savings buffer and won't care so much
> The philosopher Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king. Said Aristippus, "If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils."
> Said Diogenes, "Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king."
> Let them eat lentils
Average home price in the US is 400k and mortgage rates are over 7%.
Personally I am lucky and privileged enough to be on a FIRE path, but not everyone is able to do so. And not everyone is shackled to high paying jobs. Some people are working 3 jobs and very much need each one of them.