$1k is enough for any one emergency

I never said it would definitely cover all emergencies, but it should cover most emergencies. For example:

• car issue - usually $400-1000 - my last FE strut replacement cost $800-900, and that's on the more expensive end (certainly wouldn't handle engine work though)
• washing machine/dishwasher/refrigerator dies - new one costs a few hundred, maybe slightly more (my fridge this year cost ~$1300, cheaper options exist)
• surprise funeral of a loved one - plane tickets/gas and a hotel for a couple nights should be under $1k

It's not going to solve everything, but it's a nice milestone that means you can weather most emergencies, provided they come one at a time. The goal here isn't to guarantee that you're safe from everything (nobody should stop at this step), but to protect you from most of the small things that would otherwise go to debt.

If we raise the bar too high, people will get discouraged and give up. $1k is a pretty decent goal and can do a lot of good.