Don't Waste the Good Days • Hacker News Board

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#181

Post by cercatrova » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:02 AM UTC

RantyDave wrote: post #82

ryandrake wrote: post #41

I feel like there is wisdom in "Make hay while the sun shines." When you're young and unencumbered by responsibility and family, when your cognitive abilities are at their peak, when your energy is endless, when your body is strong and healthy, when your knees work, and your fingers can type without arthritis: that's the optimal time to work and earn. Min-max that salary and stay healthy. Due to compounding interest,…

Life is short. As soon as you have kids you're teleported forwards twenty five years.

That's if you have kids. Many people are choosing not to these days so they get to have the extra money and the time.

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#182

Post by Aeolun » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:02 AM UTC

emodendroket wrote: post #175

staticassertion wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lots of people I know in a generation or two above me regret not saving when they were younger. Now they're nervous about being 70 and having to retire soon but not feeling stable, or feeling that they may financially burden their children. Compounding interest on money means, as previously mentioned, money you earn at 20 will be 10x as valuable compared to money earned towards a typical retirement age. With tech hav…

If you retire when you're 40 don't you basically have to live in mortal fear of serious illness for the rest of your life?

Only in the US. You might live in a first world country.

You might also have so much saved up you can buy private insurance for the rest of your life.

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#183

Post by sabhiram » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:04 AM UTC

Sounds like someone has been listening to Alan Watts :)

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#184

Post by Aeolun » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:19 AM UTC

billti wrote: post #110

RantyDave wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Life is short. As soon as you have kids you're teleported forwards twenty five years.

Kids are a whole different amazing experience though. I’m glad I got wasted and partied in my youth. I’m glad I travelled and saw different countries. I’m glad I dated a bunch and fell in love with several women. I’m glad I held a few jobs through most of that and have the career I do now. I’m glad I’m with my amazing wife and our two young kids bring joy and light into every day. I’m glad I sunk a bunch of time/mone…

I’m certainly happy I got wasted in my youth. Doing it now is a horror that takes multiple days to recover from, and then we’re talking about having 4 beers…

Ultimately not everything in life went as I would have wanted, but if I compare my situation with others I think I can be well satisfied.

I don’t particularly mind the idea of working until 65 either, I’m going to be doing something anyway. As long as it’s interesting and I get rewarded enough to be happy, that’s fine with me.

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#185

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:27 AM UTC

ipiz0618 wrote: post #163

serjester wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here’s an interesting thought experiment for you - if you could trade 20 years of your life for 10 billion dollars, would you? Just step in a room and walk out a billionaire. I have yet to meet someone that would accept the offer. So if you do the math, they value their time at a shockingly high rate. I’d argue, trading the best years of your life for an early retirement is the same proposal. Steve Jobs would have gi…

When I have that 10 billion, I might want to extend my life just to enjoy it more, like all the rich people do. But right now? I don’t even need to think twice to accept that offer lol. My time isn’t that precious when 50% of it is spent working for food and shelter, and trying to stay fit so that I don’t stop being capable of working.

[deleted]

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#186

Post by staticassertion » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:28 AM UTC

emodendroket wrote: post #175

staticassertion wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lots of people I know in a generation or two above me regret not saving when they were younger. Now they're nervous about being 70 and having to retire soon but not feeling stable, or feeling that they may financially burden their children. Compounding interest on money means, as previously mentioned, money you earn at 20 will be 10x as valuable compared to money earned towards a typical retirement age. With tech hav…

If you retire when you're 40 don't you basically have to live in mortal fear of serious illness for the rest of your life?

There are a number of ways around that if you have money, such as investing in an HSA early on, or buying private insurance. Or get married.

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#187

Post by wiether » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:31 AM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #41

I feel like there is wisdom in "Make hay while the sun shines." When you're young and unencumbered by responsibility and family, when your cognitive abilities are at their peak, when your energy is endless, when your body is strong and healthy, when your knees work, and your fingers can type without arthritis: that's the optimal time to work and earn. Min-max that salary and stay healthy. Due to compounding interest,…

Based on my observations (so anecdotal probably), it seems that being happy doesn't depends on what you did in the past or what you intend your future to be, but what you're doing now.

Looking bad at your younger self won't make you happy. Looking with envy at your older self won't make you happy.

Regarding your comment, I've never found someone saying "I wish I did things differently" and being happy. The sheer fact that they spend time regretting their past shows that their present self is not fulfilled.

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#188

Post by stewbrew » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:33 AM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #41

I feel like there is wisdom in "Make hay while the sun shines." When you're young and unencumbered by responsibility and family, when your cognitive abilities are at their peak, when your energy is endless, when your body is strong and healthy, when your knees work, and your fingers can type without arthritis: that's the optimal time to work and earn. Min-max that salary and stay healthy. Due to compounding interest,…

Maximize your preparation as much as you want. Let's just hope you don't get diagnosed with cancer with 60. At that age more and more friends are dying and you wonder whether you shouldn't have gone more often to the beach or have travelled to Bali when you were young enough to fully enjoy the experience.

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#189

Post by bcrosby95 » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:35 AM UTC

ipiz0618 wrote: post #163

serjester wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here’s an interesting thought experiment for you - if you could trade 20 years of your life for 10 billion dollars, would you? Just step in a room and walk out a billionaire. I have yet to meet someone that would accept the offer. So if you do the math, they value their time at a shockingly high rate. I’d argue, trading the best years of your life for an early retirement is the same proposal. Steve Jobs would have gi…

When I have that 10 billion, I might want to extend my life just to enjoy it more, like all the rich people do. But right now? I don’t even need to think twice to accept that offer lol. My time isn’t that precious when 50% of it is spent working for food and shelter, and trying to stay fit so that I don’t stop being capable of working.

I'm curious if you have kids?

This proposal could be thought of a couple ways. Maybe I prematurely age 20 years? That sounds pretty bad. I'm currently 42. That would make me effectively 62. With twin 3 year olds and a 6 year old. That doesn't sound fun.

But what sounds even worse is they won't graduate from high school until I'm 77. Decent odds I would die before then. Even with 10 billion. Fuck that.

The other interpretation could be: the world moves on but you "fast forward". Well, I likely get to see my kids as adults, but it all zipped before my eyes.

And that sucks too. Things moves so fast at younger ages, and so far from 0-6 each age is unique, different experience. And I would never want to fast forward over that.

Maybe if I were still hanging out, playing games, and talking with friends - sure. What's 20 years - maybe I'm a little worse at games. But kids change the whole thing for me.

Re: Don't Waste the Good Days

#190

Post by gjhh244 » Sat, Jan 01, 2022, 9:48 AM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #41

I feel like there is wisdom in "Make hay while the sun shines." When you're young and unencumbered by responsibility and family, when your cognitive abilities are at their peak, when your energy is endless, when your body is strong and healthy, when your knees work, and your fingers can type without arthritis: that's the optimal time to work and earn. Min-max that salary and stay healthy. Due to compounding interest,…

"Life isn't short--it's LONG, and you have a brief moment in that life to maximize your preparation for the rest of it. Use it wisely."

Anyone can die any time if they're unlucky enough. Leaving much of the fun until you're old may thus be a very bad strategy.

I agree one should focus on productive activities already in their 20's, but meaningful leisure is important too. It's meaningless leisure that you do only out of boredom that people should restrict more - for me that would be social media, news and gaming.