Lets start with the premise that if youre making 110k your also getting benefits comparable to any govt job. So what savings are you talking about?
As for my neighbor, if you consider a more fulfilled life as one where you take your old lady carriage and go to the supermarket every other day for your small bottle of milk, wake up for the second minyan, do daf yomi in the evening instead of before shachris and spend the rest of your pathetic existence in your high 50s and 60s waiting for the Malach Hamaves then maybe a your million dollar skills are not wasted. Its not the money its the waste of skills and useful resources. There is a mentality amongst government employees...and certain elements of our community to get away with an easy life. Dont work too hard c'v. There is a price to pay for taking a govt job, thats all I'm saying.
My understanding is that government jobs generally have better benefits than do jobs in the private sector. Perhaps law is an exception, but otherwise I would object to premise.
Further, if any existence is pathetic I would say that would apply to someone whose outlook is that his only value is via his work product, without which he is worthless. Do you plan on retiring ever? Will your existence then be pathetic? Or are you of the belief that retiring at 65, or 75, thus precludes you from being "pathetic," but retiring at 55 renders you undeniably so? Your argument also assumes that after retirement your neighbor doesn't use his skills. Perhaps he volunteers or makes use of his variety of skills via other means.
Also, what of stay at home mothers. Once their kids are independent, are they in your view all discarded to the "pathetic" pile? Or people who are not successful professionally. Also thrown to the pathetic bin?
Live and let live. I very much doubt your neighbor is judging you for the choices you make regarding your professional career.