Re:Building a vision of life without work (2015)
by CleverLikeAnOx on Tuesday July 13, 2021 @01:28PM
(#27823650)
For those that this lifestyle appeals to, it is possible in America to engineer your life so that it happens. Sure the median American is no where close to financial independence, but financial independence is attainable for most Americans given a couple decades of work if they are willing to change their definition of "enough."
Personally, I reduced my target to a mere fraction of the $5 million you mentioned.
Finally, I completely agree that this is privilege, but without any negative judgement therein. Privilege is a thing we should be trying to give to more and more people.
Re:Building a vision of life without work (2015)
by phaemon on Tuesday July 13, 2021 @03:24PM
(#27825102)
> the median American making $40-60k a year with a modest amount of credit card debt and kids to feed.
Ah, of course. Poor unfortunate Americans. How could you possibly feed your children on just $40k a year. No doubt that explains the emaciated appearance of the average American child.
> A comment like this is privilege in a nutshell.
Copy that out on the blackboard 100 times until the lesson sinks in.
Money to a certain point essentially buys the ability to be free and happy, and that’s why most people are “in the grind” so-to-speak. Being able to even think about making the mindset shift you describe is impossible for most people in the country let alone the world.
The lifestyle you describe is out of reach for the median American making $40-60k a year with a modest amount of credit card debt and kids to feed.
I have to wonder how you pay for your shelter, food, and health insurance? Is that from your unicorn startup money, or is that from your income from building dams?
For most Americans, quitting their corporate job means spending something like 2-4x more for healthcare. It means exhausting a very short financial runway.
Most Americans are one or two serious medical emergencies away from full blown bankruptcy.
That’s the irony here: folks advocating for exotic life experiences like this don’t seem to realize that the bulk of the world isn’t living life in a materialistic and career-focused way by choice. We’ve all just got bills to pay and want to be able to afford to go to the doctor or get our kids education or buy gas to get to Grandma’s house.
If you throw me a modest $5 million lump sum I’ll join you on your shift in mindset. But until then, sorry, I’ve got to get back to work.