I think income is a proxy for something like "financial freedom" (which is presumably the eventual goal for why we want higher incomes). Having an income of $6

I think income is a proxy for something like "financial freedom" (which is presumably the eventual goal for why we want higher incomes). Having an income of $60k while having a dependent is very different than when not having a dependent. I seems correct to say that without a dependent, you're in the top 1% of the world's wage earners (with respect to your financial freedom); while if you have a dependent, your income is no longer fully yours - and you are no longer in the top 1% of the world's wage earners.