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The Fallacy of Money As A Means

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Re: The Fallacy of Money As A Means

#41

Post by dinkumthinkum »

jacoblyles wrote: post #32

I once asked people to choose between 1) Making a contribution to society as profound as Isaac Newton's, but leading such a harried life that they died before the age of 50 from a stress-related illness 2) Leading a content, good, happy, and unremarkable life Everyone in the Valley chooses (1)

I don't if that is a Valley thing though. Many people, particularly intellectuals would choose the first. However, let's be honest how many of those Valley startups are on a path to contribute anything remotely close to that level, even if they were maximally successful? Many of them are like "We're changing the way people sell houses" or "We are disrupting the auto-insurance industry" and that's fine but it's hardly the stuff of Newton or Leibniz.

So if you take different point from the article, it may make sense to attempt to achieve whatever your goal is another way than slaving away for 3 years on some "Growth Hacker" startup that goes nowhere, because, again, it's not going to get books written about you 200 years from now. Or not.

Re: The Fallacy of Money As A Means

#42

Post by C1D »

calinet6 wrote: post #4

This is a generally short-sighted article, that looks inward but not at the bigger picture. I want to make a lot of money because I want to start a family, and I want them to have the best life and the best opportunities available. Not to be spoiled, but simply to have a good life. And that's just the start. I want to make money so I can help people. To be able to invest in things which might cure diseases, solve hun…

I agree with most of the things you said. In fact there are two major reasons why I want to start a company. Number 1 being that I want to be able to get my kids a great education and the other is that I want to innovate something that will help everyones life, I want to majorly contribuite to society.

Re: The Fallacy of Money As A Means

#43

Post by C1D »

calinet6 wrote: post #4

This is a generally short-sighted article, that looks inward but not at the bigger picture. I want to make a lot of money because I want to start a family, and I want them to have the best life and the best opportunities available. Not to be spoiled, but simply to have a good life. And that's just the start. I want to make money so I can help people. To be able to invest in things which might cure diseases, solve hun…

I agree with most of the things you said. In fact there are two major reasons why I want to start a company. Number 1 being that I want to be able to get my kids a great education and the other is that I want to innovate something that will help everyones life, I want to majorly contribuite to society.

Re: The Fallacy of Money As A Means

#44

Post by dnautics »

acjohnson55 wrote: post #25
dnautics wrote: post #17

"I’m talking about becoming someone with strong moral fiber, a zeal for life, and complete comfort in who they are and what they’re all about." I think that this is exactly not what you want to do to find a life partner. Whether you are a man or a woman, if you do this, you will find that (almost) all of your potential partners are shallow and extremely disappointing. Moreover, the people you are attracted to will be…

Huh? So you're suggesting setting the bar low for your inner-self just so you can avoid intimidating partners of a lower standard? That makes no sense to me. If I were single (which I'm not, because I have a satisfying relationship built on mutual admiration), I would want people of low aspirations to self-select themselves out of my dating pool.

Why? People with "low aspirations" are not necessarily bad people, nor unsuitable mates. Everyone needs something different in their lives. All I'm saying is that "self-improvement for the sake of dating" is terrible advice. Most people want to go on dates with people who are attractive, and self-improvement is often an anti-pattern for that. Yes, we'd like to think that everyone has real standards (versus superficial ones), we'd probably even like to think that we set real, personality standards for ourselves, but that doesn't get you out meeting people, and it can be extremely intimidating when you actually do.

It's merely bad advice because that's not what people are looking for. Even people who might intellectually think "oh, I'm looking for a good guy/good gal" are not six times out of ten (that's a made-up statistic)

Re: The Fallacy of Money As A Means

#45

Post by acjohnson55 »

I agree, and it's interesting to see the resistance around here. I think a lot of people don't really want to take a hard look at their own motivations because they're afraid they might not like what they see. I don't think the illusion of money-driven happiness is at all limited to the startup world. The rat race exists in a whole lot of other careers too--law, medicine, engineering, finance, showbiz, and so on.

I think most people chase money based on the perception that it will raise them to some higher plane of existence. But the reality is that every time you break into some new level, there's always just another level waiting above you, enticing you to double down. This article has a strong point: instead of chasing abstract advancement, figure out what it actually is that you want, and then strategize how to get it. And better yet, strategize how you can enjoy the journey. You might actually achieve definitive satisfaction that way and also be able to look back on your life and not feel as though half of it was spent in an unfulfilling chase.

Re: The Fallacy of Money As A Means

#47

Post by hosh »

calinet6 wrote: post #4

This is a generally short-sighted article, that looks inward but not at the bigger picture. I want to make a lot of money because I want to start a family, and I want them to have the best life and the best opportunities available. Not to be spoiled, but simply to have a good life. And that's just the start. I want to make money so I can help people. To be able to invest in things which might cure diseases, solve hun…

This is a great article. Looking inward is the bigger picture. When you are not impeccable about your intent, then much of your subconscious awareness is being diverted towards those hidden agendas rather than the outward goal. You come off as inauthentic, your ability to draw like-minded people to your goals are splintered.

You can get those hidden agendas directly. Why make a lot of money to change the world? Change the world. Money is a means by which one changes the world.

If it happens that your inward goals are to make a lot money, then you're much more likely to get what you need. If you're not impeccable, you're more likely to wander around lost and confused.

Re: The Fallacy of Money As A Means

#48

Post by hosh »

C1D wrote: post #42
calinet6 wrote: post #4

This is a generally short-sighted article, that looks inward but not at the bigger picture. I want to make a lot of money because I want to start a family, and I want them to have the best life and the best opportunities available. Not to be spoiled, but simply to have a good life. And that's just the start. I want to make money so I can help people. To be able to invest in things which might cure diseases, solve hun…

I agree with most of the things you said. In fact there are two major reasons why I want to start a company. Number 1 being that I want to be able to get my kids a great education and the other is that I want to innovate something that will help everyones life, I want to majorly contribuite to society.

Does the startup have something to do with getting your kids a great education?

Re: The Fallacy of Money As A Means

#49

Post by hosh »

saraid216 wrote: post #27
calinet6 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right: they're children. *Edit: Okay, sorry, "children" is a little harsh. You get what I mean. Of course we all want financial independence, security, and the means to not have to worry about where we eat for dinner every night. Great. You can have that, and do more also. Look at pg—in addition to I'm certain a comfortable life, he also invests in all of you and helps create things of value. Look at what Elon Musk i…

"Child's play" usually connotes a sense of ease that, uh, isn't actually available to everyone. If you were correct, then everyone over the age of 20 would have a completely fulfilled life and would only care about money for the sake of making the world a better place. You might be shocked to discover that not everyone is like you. Not everyone feels sufficiently fulfilled in their own life. Indeed, some people feel…

The feeling of fulfillment won't come through external achievements, I can guarantee you that.

It usually takes people a long while to discover this, but hey, it's all part of the journey.

Re: The Fallacy of Money As A Means

#50

Post by jasonkostempski »

"It is because you want total autonomy over your time?" Would be my #1 goal. The alternative "Find a career that is already what you’d consistently be doing..." is silly. Given complete control over my time I wouldn't be doing much consistently let alone for a career's length of time.
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