Re:'Wild West' mentality lingers in modern populations of US...
by bumby on Tuesday September 08, 2020 @05:16PM
(#24413494)
Specialization is the nature of capitalism so what you say is true. However, not everybody has the aim to optimize "getting ahead in life" in terms of accumulating the most material wealth. A propos of the linked article, I know people in the high desert former-frontier whose ideal retirement is running a lodge or campground, constantly working as a general handyman. To them, that hits on many of the things necessary to find fulfillment: creativity, mastery, autonomy, purpose. They'd rather be put to pasture than trade that for some exorbitantly paying SV gig.
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Re:'Wild West' mentality lingers in modern populations of US...
by 01100011 on Tuesday September 08, 2020 @05:54PM
(#24413948)
And they'll say that until that wealth could have done something useful for them, like defend their freedoms from encroachment or promote causes they find valuable.
Wealth is worth far more than fancy cars and fine clothing. I couldn't give a shit about expensive material possessions but I think that only an utter fool would disavow themselves of wealth. Don't be conned into thinking wealth is synonymous with frivolous, ostentatious displays and vanity.
Re:'Wild West' mentality lingers in modern populations of US...
by bumby on Tuesday September 08, 2020 @06:27PM
(#24414309)
You hit the nail on the head. Wealth isn’t about loving green pieces of paper. It’s about the freedom it provides. But from his place, he’s already doing exactly what he wants. There’s literally nothing he wants more than what he has. Now maybe that would change if his health is constrained, but as it stands he spends everyday exactly how he would spend his weekends if he was working at a 9-5.
That freedom of time is all that money can ultimately provide in the best sense. However, amassing wealth by moving away from that is definitely counter-productive. Wealth is just a means to an end; if the end is already at hand it provides little to no marginal utility.