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You don't really want a million dollars

ryanwaggoner.com

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Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#61

Post by brown9-2 »

simon_ wrote: post #13

I really disagree with this. Far from being more than anybody needs, a million dollars is actually not enough to secure a dignified existence in the US. Sure... a "trip to Thailand" doesn't require a million dollars, but what if you want: Not to face bankruptcy if a major health problem arises? Not to worry about the cost of college for your children? To own a small home in NYC or SF? To afford competent legal repres…

Not to face bankruptcy if a major health problem arises? Not to worry about the cost of college for your children? To own a small home in NYC or SF? To afford competent legal representation if the need arises?

Surely this isn't the definition of "a dignified existence in the US", is it?

Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#62

Post by mseebach »

Locke1689 wrote: post #54
ryanwaggoner wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A million dollars is actually not enough to secure a dignified existence in the US. Nonsense: http://ryanwaggoner.com/2010/08/how-to-retire-at-30-on-1-mil... Not to face bankruptcy if a major health problem arises? Health insurance isn't that expensive unless you have a pre-existing condition [1]. I won't talk about the college and home ownership questions other than to say that families have figured out how to live…

I won't talk about the college and home ownership questions other than to say that families have figured out how to live happy, healthy lives on far, far less. Go to a good state school, get some scholarships, don't live in Manhattan. This is a poor answer. Just because other people are happy with something doesn't mean everyone is. What do you mean "don't live in Mahnattan"? I want to live in Manhattan. Who are you…

He didn't say that, he said that you don't need to live in Manhattan to have a dignified life.

Nobody contests that a million dollars can buy you a lot of very nice things. The point is that too many people spend too much time fretting about going to Thailand when they get a million dollars, while completely missing the fact that a trip to Thailand is maybe $1000. It's mostly a question of priorities, and if you make your whole life about getting a million dollars, guess what happens once you get there? You're likely to start obsessing about five million, rather than retire to that beach in Thailand.

Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#63

Post by _b8r0 »

Since scaling my life back and tackling startup debt I've really managed to scale down my outgoings. Furthermore I've simultaneously lost my lust for new tech and become the worst guy I know to buy presents for.

I don't really need a million dollars, but if I had it I'm fairly certain I'd get quite far with it.

Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#64

Post by tptacek »

Locke1689 wrote: post #54
ryanwaggoner wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A million dollars is actually not enough to secure a dignified existence in the US. Nonsense: http://ryanwaggoner.com/2010/08/how-to-retire-at-30-on-1-mil... Not to face bankruptcy if a major health problem arises? Health insurance isn't that expensive unless you have a pre-existing condition [1]. I won't talk about the college and home ownership questions other than to say that families have figured out how to live…

I won't talk about the college and home ownership questions other than to say that families have figured out how to live happy, healthy lives on far, far less. Go to a good state school, get some scholarships, don't live in Manhattan. This is a poor answer. Just because other people are happy with something doesn't mean everyone is. What do you mean "don't live in Mahnattan"? I want to live in Manhattan. Who are you…

The bearer of bad news about statistics, demographics, and what the rest of the country gets by happily on.

Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#65

Post by tptacek »

Alex3917 wrote: post #60
yummyfajitas wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your article doesn't really support your position: "The government says families in the top-third income bracket will spend $279,450 to raise a child born in 2005 through age 17 -- or about $16,000 a year. " Also from the article: "Add in extras like private school, a nanny and a flat-screen TV set in a kid's bedroom, and that figure climbs to $1.6 million." "In San Diego, Jacqueline Jones recently rang in her fifth…

"The government says families in the top-third income bracket will spend $279,450 to raise a child born in 2005 through age 17 -- or about $16,000 a year." The reason that the government figures are wrong is that, to quote Parenting, Inc. again, they don't include the cost of "maternity clothes, new home purchases and moving expenses, childbirth education and newborn classes, prenatal vitamins and extra fruits and ve…

That figure is laughable. Whatever survey it came from is also laughable. You are not laughable. But those factoids? Laughable. This is a silly argument.

Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#66

Post by jshen »

qjz wrote: post #34
jshen wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was about to post something similar but with less kindness. I really hate this self-righteous posts from people that have no kids and essentially no real responsibility except themselves. It's the height of arrogance to preach to other people from such a position.

I arrogantly procreated in my bid for total world domination until I was defeated by my arch nemesis, The Urologist. We're all condemned to preach from our own unique positions.

Empathy

some of us have the ability to recognize this and realize that our position is not everyones, or even most peoples, or even realize that one day we might have kids too, and all those older people that say that life is completely different post kids might be right.

Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#67

Post by pedanticfreak »

kenjackson wrote: post #22

I think Ryan misses the point for most people. I do want a "million" dollars for freedom, but it's not just to go to Thailand. In fact I don't really like traveling, but I'd pay a lot if you could teleport me instantly. I want the freedom to work on what I want to work on AND to buy what I want. I'm tired of saying, "I won't get that TV now, because in 12 months that TV is coming out". Or "lets wait 8 months for the…

I think you're also missing some of the point though. You don't need a million dollars for any or all of those things you just listed.

Add it all up and you're barely breaking a few thousand dollars.

Sure you need money. He's not saying you don't need money. The point is that when people say they need to be arbitrarily wealthy because they want to eventually do Y, they can usually do Y for much, much less money than they think. In fact it is usually within their current means.

So stop agonizing about not being rich and figure out how much you really need already.

Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#68

Post by Vivtek »

tptacek wrote: post #47
defen wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not a constitutional scholar so I have no idea how big of a deal this is, but: http://articles.cnn.com/2010-12-13/politics/health.care_1_he...

No opinion I can give about this will result in anything less than 48 comments of pointless political argument about the Commerce Clause and health care and moral hazard and libertarianism and how someone's mom was totally able to haggle perfectly good health care out of a hospitals for pennies on the dollar and it's all the fault of people who consume HFCS and let's just bypass all that.

Dammit, this kind of comment is why you have all the karma it's physically possible to have.

Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#69

Post by oz »

No,you don't.

I'm really tired of anti-money meme. Why is it so difficult for people to admit that many things in life come down to money?

This isn't about being Gordon Gekko. You could have the purest heart, but it still takes cash to care.

Some are fine with minimalism. More power to them. But I don't want to exist. I want to thrive.

I'm 24. I realized a few years ago that my highest value in life is autonomy. I want to be able to wake up tomorrow, and say "Hey, I've never been to Sweden," and just hop on a plane, without worrying about a small matter called rent.

What if your boss made you miserable every day, but you can't quit because of the mortgage. Is that any way to live? Me? I think I'd rather die.

Albert Camus said it best: It is spiritual arrogance to believe that one can be happy without money. And I'm a pastor's son; so I should know.

I like money. I want lots of it. A million dollars? Pftha! That isn't even what Felix Dennis called comfortably poor...

Re: You don't really want a million dollars

#70

Post by Vivtek »

Alex3917 wrote: post #60
yummyfajitas wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your article doesn't really support your position: "The government says families in the top-third income bracket will spend $279,450 to raise a child born in 2005 through age 17 -- or about $16,000 a year. " Also from the article: "Add in extras like private school, a nanny and a flat-screen TV set in a kid's bedroom, and that figure climbs to $1.6 million." "In San Diego, Jacqueline Jones recently rang in her fifth…

"The government says families in the top-third income bracket will spend $279,450 to raise a child born in 2005 through age 17 -- or about $16,000 a year." The reason that the government figures are wrong is that, to quote Parenting, Inc. again, they don't include the cost of "maternity clothes, new home purchases and moving expenses, childbirth education and newborn classes, prenatal vitamins and extra fruits and ve…

Whhhhat? You have to include your babymoon vacation in the cost of a child now? Good God, I had to buy a bigger house, does that count?

This is more whining about how hard it is for the richest of the rich to get by in these trying times, isn't it?

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