To your point, if one has a habit of spending lavishly, it seems fair that the source of funding has to come from somewhere that isn’t this year’s paycheck, but it seems like the end result would be a faster-than-planned depletion of resources rather than impacting day to day living. And he’s presumably back to making normal salary within a year.
Still, day to day living expenses are in the eye of the beholder. Once you get to that point, you do miss little comforts in life like being able to eat endangered penguin pate or rent a sub party at mariana trench. It is harder to justify that expense when you just had your salary adjusted. Not impossible. Just harder.
<< And he’s presumably back to making normal salary within a year.
I am tempted to set myself a reminder to check, but I don't think you are wrong by saying that.
Even symbolic gesture is more than I have come to expect these days. While it may not be what is demanded, I welcome it as a welcome change.
That said, I disagree with the categorical phrasing. Clearly some reduction would make an impact ( I think we agree that 100% would; if so, at this point it only becomes a question of what is reasonable ).