Young, Dumb, and Broke: Why Outdoorsy Types Suck at Money

But even if she wasn't doing that and was indeed looking to normalize financial illiteracy by saying it's common and she's not the only one, I think that's a pretty healthy perspective. Yes she fucked up, which she acknowledges. But it can be healthy to not seek fault in you as a person or your character, but rather to seek fault in your behaviour, your lack of education on a topic, your views which may have been too biased for the short-term. After all, those things can be changed, it gives the individual agency and a feeling of control. I think the entire article acknowledged that the solution lied with her changing her views, her habits, her financial literacy, her financial management. I found it to the contrary of removal of the subject.

> I fucked up.

Was she not saying exactly those things? For example she says "I saw my folly" or "How was I ever going to afford a kid’s college fund? It wasn’t just that I’d only ever lived for my youth; maybe I’d only ever lived for myself. No wonder I was alone." It's quite clear she felt she fucked up and saw the issue with herself.

> I used to be bad with money. Now I do this: __ __ __.

Again, I felt she touched on this throughout the article, e.g. by saying things like "I’d started reading personal-finance books, analyzing my spending, and making budgets. I also started wearing sunscreen."

More like the GP, however, I've gotten there not through identification with others but instead through the cultivation of a spiritual life philosophy.

Like GP, I also grow tired of hearing these voices too often. I have a little sister, who is 13 now, and she feels submitted to her fate. More often than not she feels like a candle in the wind (queue Elton John) instead of a captain at the helm.

But you're right, it is something to pay attention to. These little instances all add up to be statistically relevant and a source of knowledge for collective social truth-finding.

One thing I must insist on, philosophically, however, is that we are not often served by identifying with sub-par things. Personal identification is very useful for aspiring and evolving, but personal identification with the present or the past can unnecessarily keep you anchored to bad habits.

In fact it may be the opposite correlation, as those that can partake in outdoorsy activities frequently are probably better off than average.

That allows a wildly different lifestyle. He can spend 100% of what he earns, and still

- retire early - buy a large home - send his kids to uni - enjoy quality of life of the top 15%

Not having to buy a home, invest in stocks, reserve money for retirement, savings etc, is a big deal. Meanwhile other friends who have no such parents are more stuck in the rat race and will likely work till an old age retirement, not have a big home, will struggle with kids' education blablabla.

The other thing is that if he fucks up, his parents will help him out. This is one of the reasons I think that he started his own business and continued through years of no-income, whereas others had no such luxury to fail for a few years. e.g. there's plenty of people who, if they had not climbed the corporate ladder the past few years, would permanently be locked out of the housing market. He has no such problem, as if shit really hits the fan there's always a safety net. Your parents might be reserved, but unless they're quite unique, they'll definitely step in if you really fall.

Lastly, don't think it applies to you but I find as kids get older and the 'house' discussion comes up, suddenly rich parents step-in in ways they wouldn't have before (e.g. to fund a fun lifestyle). I've seen this housing-purchase support so often and it can't be overstated how much of a leg up this can be. And even if no support is given, inheritance of rich parents typically covers the mortgage and then some mid-life.

Don't mean to make it too personal and dump a lot of 'you're actually privileged' on you, I don't know you so I really can't say, every family is different. But on a more general note, having rich parents is definitely useful even if there's not been much financial help so far.

I by no means begrudge someone who enjoys geeking out about gear. I occasionally indulge. But for the most part I like to get my equipment as hand me downs or on craigslist. And I try to keep that equipment running as long as possible. I find that repairing stuff scratches my engineering itch and that going minimalist with gear helps me focus on the experience more.