Well, but all that needs to happen to be caught without savings is for shit to happen twice in close succession, with the first problem depleting your savings.

Well, but all that needs to happen to be caught without savings is for shit to happen twice in close succession, with the first problem depleting your savings. If you have a major medical or other expense, and then you lose your job less than a year later... Well, there you are. That's true even if you are in a position to save. There are those who are not: sometimes you can't reduce your expenses as your income drops. This is especially true if you have children. So really, you don't understand people who don't have savings... assuming they have, up to now, had relatively problem-free and low-commitment lives.