Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

You are not 'behind'

zackkanter.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 218 posts

Re: You are not 'behind'

#141

Post by Bootvis »

closeparen wrote: post #119
coldtea wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or you know, a country with actual pension plans, like most of Western Europe at least.

Oh, plenty of people have government pensions. It's just that when city & state governments made those promises, they were lying. It is the will of the people of Illinois, for example, not to pay retired government workers what they're owed, and we'll see that enacted shortly. Social Security will similarly implode when the total needs of Boomers surpass the total income-producing capability of Millenials in the next…

Or you know you could setup a pension system where this hardly happens if at all by ringfencing the funds, allowing limited risk exposure and making sure the plans are well-funded. Countries in Western Europe indeed have managed to do this.

Re: You are not 'behind'

#142

Post by [deleted] »

rytill wrote: post #125
anvandare wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To the best of my knowledge, yes. It's possible I once overheard/read it somewhere, and have forgotten the source, but it lingered in my brain somewhere. In addition, with 100 billion+ people existing throughout the entirety of the human race, it's unlikely I was the first to think of anything I've ever thought.

(100 billion people) * (the amount of thoughts a person has their life) is quite large, but I think nowhere near the amount of permutations of thoughts and emotions to go with them someone can reasonably have. I bet your thoughts are more unique than you think.

[deleted]

Re: You are not 'behind'

#143

Post by Bootvis »

sandcastles wrote: post #53
anvandare wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only person you are ever in competition with is yourself. Our 'competitors' are just the measurements against which we compare and test ourselves. Think of your life as a sand castle. Sure, others have nicer ones (or worse ones), but in the end they will all be swept away by the tide. The existence of other castles in no way diminishes the value of your own. All that matters is that you are happy with the castle…

Did you just make up the sand castle analogy?

It reminds of the Jimi Hendrix song 'Castles made of sand'. Not exactly the same but definitely some common ground.

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jimihendrix/castlesmadeofsan...

Re: You are not 'behind'

#144

Post by TeMPOraL »

anvandare wrote: post #24
jondubois wrote: post #8

For the past 10 years, I only spent about 4 to 8 hours per week on entertainment - All the rest of my time was divided between work and sleep (I only sleep 5 hours per day on weekdays). Financially, I have nothing to show for it unfortunately so I really feel like I'm behind and that I've missed the boat on many things. What makes it particularly difficult is that I was working really hard the whole time - When I rea…

The only person you are ever in competition with is yourself. Our 'competitors' are just the measurements against which we compare and test ourselves. Think of your life as a sand castle. Sure, others have nicer ones (or worse ones), but in the end they will all be swept away by the tide. The existence of other castles in no way diminishes the value of your own. All that matters is that you are happy with the castle…

I prefer:

  We do what we must because we can.
  For the good of all of us
  Except the ones who are dead.

  But there's no sense crying over every mistake.
  You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
  And the science gets done and you make a neat gun.
  For the people who are still alive.
(https://wiki.jonathancoulton.com/Still_Alive/Lyrics)

The point being, it shouldn't be about comparing castles, it should be about making everyone's castles ever better (until eventually, at some point, we discover concrete and the castles will no longer get swept away by the tide).

(And for those not knowing the context, the "gun" in the song is a tool, not a weapon.)

Re: You are not 'behind'

#145

Post by sobani »

Bootvis wrote: post #141
closeparen wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, plenty of people have government pensions. It's just that when city & state governments made those promises, they were lying. It is the will of the people of Illinois, for example, not to pay retired government workers what they're owed, and we'll see that enacted shortly. Social Security will similarly implode when the total needs of Boomers surpass the total income-producing capability of Millenials in the next…

Or you know you could setup a pension system where this hardly happens if at all by ringfencing the funds, allowing limited risk exposure and making sure the plans are well-funded. Countries in Western Europe indeed have managed to do this.

As an example, the Dutch "pension fund for government and education" aims to have 128% coverage. They still haven't fully recovered from the 2008 crisis, because they currently still have only 102,5% coverage.

Re: You are not 'behind'

#146

Post by tonyedgecombe »

ethbro wrote: post #85
fratlas wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Musk is a better example. Money is just a medium for him to change the world for the better. I'm sure being rich makes Musk happy, only because it enables him to make a difference.

I think they're both pretty happy. Musk is doing what he wants to do. Trump is doing what he thought he wanted to do.

Driven but I wouldn't call either of them happy.

Personally I think these types of people are abnormal and their "success" isn't something I aspire to.

Re: You are not 'behind'

#147

Post by ltaaug8 »

dominotw wrote: post #96
Maro wrote: post #21

Personally (I'm 36) I like the 'pressure' I receive all the time, from all over the place, like the ones mentioned in the article: why don't I have a six-pack, why am I not more 'perfect' with my g/f, why am I not working on my startup, why haven't I made a billion yet, why is Elon Musk so f---ing more productive, and so on. It shows me that more can be done, I could do more, it pushes me to do more. I realize it wou…

Sure you can ignore 'six pack' but you can't really igore is looming obsolesce in IT once you hit you 40's and 50's, you can't ignore is dwindling (biological) motivation and drive to learn and innovate. Ageism is real. Thats what really worries me, sure I like coding and learning now but what happens to me in my late 40's and 50's when I have to care for my parents and kids at the same time while tying to not become…

It's strange, I work in engineering, and all the most talented and highest paid people are in their 40s and 50s. I guess ageism in the Valley is real, but it seems most prevelant in web-related companies. At some point in your career, working in a start-up of beer-chugging bros or in an office that looks like an elementary school loses its luster, and you find better opportunities.

Re: You are not 'behind'

#148

Post by ltaaug8 »

corey_moncure wrote: post #89
foobarbecue wrote: post #19

Reading this made me realize that my regret usually targets the previous hours or day. Generally, if I look at the last month or year or decade, I'm impressed with what I've accomplished. And yet I'm always disappointed with my immediate past. I think this short-term regret may be the reaction mass I'm igniting to propel me forward. To borrow a phrase from finnthehuman above, this short-term regret is the fire lit un…

I didn't have any regrets until I sat and watched cryptocoin for 6 years and did nothing about it.

If you had gotten in 6 years ago, you'd probably regret selling it all 4 or 5 years ago. Or perhaps you'd regret not selling, if the bubble pops tomorrow. Hindsight is 20/20.

Re: You are not 'behind'

#149

Post by tonyedgecombe »

enraged_camel wrote: post #61
nxc18 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If your worried about money, is suggest getting a job at a decent company (reading between the lines it sounds like you've put your time in ventures) and having a financial plan. A small dose of austerity and planning can make you a millionaire in a short time, with relatively little risk. It won't be more money than you know what to do with, but you'll be comfortable enough to retire and then be as lazy as you want.…

Nah, I want "fuck you money" so that work becomes optional. I want to work on what I want, not what someone else wants. I want to work because I want to, not because I have to. Retirement isn't good enough. By the time you retire you are in your 60s, which is too late for me.

>Nah,I want ...

nxc18 offered pretty good advice, I'm not sure what your alternative is?

Re: You are not 'behind'

#150

Post by tigershark »

coldtea wrote: post #115
closeparen wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You probably need at least one million to avoid poverty conditions in retirement.

Or you know, a country with actual pension plans, like most of Western Europe at least.

Do you mean like in uk where you get 159.55£ per week after you worked for at least 35 years and you are at least 68 (if they don't postpone it again) ? I hope that I don't have to explain what kind of life you can do in London with that ridiculous amount.
Post reply on HN