It's been my experience too that the majority don't give a second thought to what money represents. To most people money is something that comes out of a slit in the wall when they insert their plastic card. Some realize that this only keeps working as long as they maintain their job and don't get fired, but some don't consider that possibility either. Money really is life. Most people are born without things to sell, so they can really only procure money by renting out their mind or labor for others to use. One can always make more money but nobody can make more life. Hence, it's somewhat of an optimization problem: How much life to give up to procure enough money in order to make money with money instead of selling one's labor or thoughts.

PS: I'm jealous of your liveaboard experience. That's what I originally wanted to do but wifey wasn't prepared for the possibility of having our home sinking for whatever reason and to be honest neither was I (I hadn't taken up sailing at that time so I was clueless). Thus we settled on the RV.