221–230 of 374 posts
This seems to me to be a great example of why school choice is important. Those opposed to school choice would have this kid staying in a falling school to serve their social agenda. I get it, we should make all schools "good schools," but while we're waiting for that to happen, must the smart and motivated be the pawns?
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85% of American millionaires are self-made. Source: "The Millionaire Next Door" book.
That's exactly what OP is trying to point out. It's easy to be "self-made" when you can get a million dollar loan from your dad to get your real-estate business off the ground. It's easy to be self-made when your dad works at Seattle's most prestigious law firm and can arrange an introduction with IBM's PC hardware division. It's significantly more difficult to be self-made when you have no connections and no capital…
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I knew someone who was so aggressively proud of their success, having founded and grown a successful business. He'd talk your ear off about how people like him were the ones adding value to society and how unsuccessful people are just lazy and don't try hard enough or don't take enough risks, or are just deadbeats, and how successful, hard working people are punished with taxes--you know, the standard soapbox speech.…
I did not agree at all. In my experience it's much easier to make 1 million then it is to invest 1 million and make another million. Also there are many startups that require zero investment capital and if you do not have a family and you minimise your expenses you can leave on very very little. If you do have a family it's more difficult but still possible.
Really. Let's hear your formula.
Because the stock market returns 7% per year on average after inflation, which means it takes about 10.2 years for $1 million to become $2 million. What's even better is that this happens behind the scenes - you don't have to do any work for it.
So what's your formula for getting from zero to $1 million in 10 years without doing any work?
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How would myself or anyone else interested get on the crypto nerd slack?
I guess mail me and introduce yourself? It's not like super selective or anything.
No but in all seriousness it's a good time if you like talking/learning/debating cryptography and general security things.
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And this is why Basic Income is the future; it doesn't help those with a bed of pillows to rely on, but it provides a bed of sod to those currently wary of spikes.
What about people that squander their BI? We need safety nets below the safety nets... At some point shouldn't we let people fail?
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>Mentality: I'm one day away from being homeless. Exactly that. A while ago, I had to move. I just collapsed. It brought back too much about being kicked out over and over again. And yet, I can't seem to stop moving. I've lived in four states and two countries and I'm only 25. I think after being homeless so long I am just eternally homeless.
Q: "What's the most important human drive?" A: "Familiarity." Sometimes you've just got to fake it til you make it. Since the real world is working okay for you now I feel this advice is appropriate. I've been there. Heck, I'm there now. I'm looking for a new apartment and I have to convince myself it's okay to rent a nice one! LOL ----- edit: I read your other post talking about PTSD and, yeah, do look into therapy.…
Time heals all wounds. I'm only 25, it's only been 6.5 years since I was last homeless. Even though it hasn't been too much time, I already feel quite a bit better:
* I used to have anxiety attacks and heart palpitations nearly nightly; now, it happens maybe 2x a year.
* "Money isn't everything - unless you don't have it." Without financial stress (yay corporate programmer salary!), I am much calmer and happier. Most people on HN are men so I don't know if you will understand this, but women (at least in the US) are often pressured to go into a "do-gooder" career. People look at me like I'm a snail when I say that I care first and foremost about being financially independent, but I've learned to ignore it.
* I've completely cut out toxic family members and learned to ignore any asshole that says "you will regret not having a relationship with ____ when he/she is gone"/"the bible says 'honor thy mother and thy father'" etc. If you say these things to someone coming from a family of abuse, you are very tone deaf. No one cuts family out of their life on a whim.
* Everyone talks about "not being a victim", but for me it was a very healing thing to admit that there were a bunch of bad situations where I was surrounded by bad people and did nothing wrong. Maybe it was pride that kept me from admitting this. Maybe shame. Maybe misplaced affection. Whatever the reason, once I shook this off I was able to move on.
In summary: it's okay to admit you've been a victim. It's okay to cut toxic people out of your life. It's okay to be selfish and "materialistic" sometimes. It's okay to ignore people judging you for things that they cannot understand.
Once I learned these life lessons, I left behind a lot of my issues. The more "physical" ones, such as startling easily and having nightmares, are relatively lightweight compared to the more insidious psychological damage caused by years of living with addicts and being treated like my needs were secondary to those of everyone around me.
I don't know if anyone reading this could be in the same situation as my teenage self, but if you're out there: please tell everyone trying to use you to go kick rocks. Know that you can do a lot of very awesome things, as long as you keep your mind open. And you are not "broken"! I won't lie and say Nietzsche was right about "what doesn't kill you" -- but you're never broken, not until you give up. Don't do that.
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That's exactly what OP is trying to point out. It's easy to be "self-made" when you can get a million dollar loan from your dad to get your real-estate business off the ground. It's easy to be self-made when your dad works at Seattle's most prestigious law firm and can arrange an introduction with IBM's PC hardware division. It's significantly more difficult to be self-made when you have no connections and no capital…
I don't understand. none of those examples are 'self-made'
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Internalized fear of abandonment, shame, and undervaluing of self-worth... Takes years of work to undo, even after you've made it. My story is similar to the parent comment - not as severe, but close. I'm doing well now, but I suffer deeply from impostor syndrome and am constantly waiting to be fired, or cast out or sent back to the bread line, even though, rationally, I know that these are not likely, or even possib…
Fuuuuck dude.. You elaborated more eloquently than I ever could have. Reality: I've been making more than $200K USD since I was about 27 Mentality: I'm one day away from being homeless. I've been in therapy for 5 years but I've never touched this thought process yet. I think I need to.
> Mentality: I'm one day away from being homeless.
In the US those two things are not always exclusive, unfortunately.
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I did not agree at all. In my experience it's much easier to make 1 million then it is to invest 1 million and make another million. Also there are many startups that require zero investment capital and if you do not have a family and you minimise your expenses you can leave on very very little. If you do have a family it's more difficult but still possible.
'Its easier to make a million starting from zero than make a million starting with a million' is the essence of what you just said. This is easily the dumbest thing Ive ever heard on this site. Seriously. Can we guild and save this somehow?
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Loudoun county, which is ranked as the highest income county in the US.
If you're earning over $180k (which you would on the interest of $24mm), you'd be in the top 0.2% of earners for Loudoun County. That's not middle class at all.
[1]: http://www.kiplinger.com/article/taxes/T054-C000-S001-what-s...