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Is getting rich worth it?

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Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#101

Post by dos1 »

antirez wrote: post #77

Nice post but the guy completely forgot to say that over a certain level of richness you start to stop worryng about work . That for most people here means probably to work even more, but just coding what they believe is significant, when you feel with the right energy, and not what the current company / job believes it is. I believe there is a significant amount of people that every day wake up and go make something…

Yes! This is my overarching goal currently. I'm trying to make as much money as possible building line of business apps so I can work on something I think is more important. I would still write software, even if I was filthy rich, but the difference would be the resources I'd have at my disposal. I currently volunteer doing web sites for charities and schools from time to time. If I were rich, I could spend more time doing that, as well as paying other people to do that. I would love to build software for under served philanthropic organizations.

Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#102

Post by speeder »

rdouble wrote: post #98
speeder wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am very much against hedonism. It is wrong because hedonism is usually tied to individualism, and a individual pursuit of happiness, that sometimes might work in short term, or for one generation or two, but end always results in problems for the collectivity that make everyone LESS happy. The current way of life, hoardings things, "stuff", without a purpose or objective, wanting to be in the "haves" just to not be…

Hedonism isn't about hoarding stuff. Working more hours to buy more stuff is the opposite of hedonism. Contemporary hedonism implies something like partying at Ibiza 24/7, but the original meaning was more like the enlightened dad spending more time at home cooking organic meals for his family.

Hedonism is doing whatever you do, seeking pleasure.

Sometimes yes, this mean working your ass off to hoard stuff.

Sometimes it means using your daddy money buying fancy cars and crashing them.

Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#103

Post by lazyjones »

scarmig wrote: post #17

Can't most of these great injustices be solved by the newly rich person not bragging about it and living roughly on what they were consuming before plus 25-50%? Yeah, yeah, you just got this big chunk of change and you want to spend it on Tesla cars and the French Laundry and vacation homes! But when you engage in flagrant consumption people notice and start wanting in on the action. Figure out what the average amoun…

> Can't most of these great injustices be solved by the newly rich person not bragging about it and living roughly on what they were consuming before plus 25-50%?

Not if you listen to those (many) who consider it anti-social behaviour to hoard money instead of spending it (because spending feeds the economy, pays salaries ...), or even getting interest as a "no-work income".

[I disagree with those people: if your money does not participate in the economy, the relative value of other people's money increases]

Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#104

Post by liber8 »

pg wrote: post #91

The next thing you need to understand about money is this: all of the things you picture buying, they are only worthwhile to you because you cannot afford them (or have to work really hard to acquire them). That was one of the biggest surprises for me. I never realized the degree to which not being able to afford certain things was what was making me want them. That childhood excitement of saving up your money to buy…

It’s interesting that people refuse to believe this, even though they’ve almost certainly experienced it on a smaller scale.

For example, when you’re a poor student, you undoubtedly covet the nice gear in whatever field you’re into. If you’re into photography, you want that new camera or lens. If you’re into computer games, you want the newest rig. If you’re into cooking, you want some Le Creuset cast iron or some copper pots. But interestingly, once you start making even semi-decent money (say, $75,000) you could easily afford these things. And yet, most people no longer covet them when they reach that level. They may make a few initial purchases, but they soon realize that, because they can buy a $2,000 lens or a $500 french oven without much thought or planning, the shine is gone. Instead, they shift their sights to the $200,000 Porsche or the $2,000,000 home.

There’s no reason this doesn’t apply at $20,000,000 just as it does at $75,000. There’s always bigger, better, and more to covet.

Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#105

Post by jrs235 »

pg wrote: post #91

The next thing you need to understand about money is this: all of the things you picture buying, they are only worthwhile to you because you cannot afford them (or have to work really hard to acquire them). That was one of the biggest surprises for me. I never realized the degree to which not being able to afford certain things was what was making me want them. That childhood excitement of saving up your money to buy…

The one thing I wish for more money is to be able to afford to work on the things I choose and want to work on without worrying about losing my house and paying my modest bills. Does this desire diminish?

EDIT: I want to be able to afford to volunteer more of my time without taking time away from my family too.

Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#106

Post by Mz »

speeder wrote: post #8

I want to get rich. But I don't want to do it because I want stuff. I don't want a Audi, or a Maserati, or a fancy home, or the newest gadget. I have a objective, a plan, for me, and for future generations, and I know how much it will cost, and doing it will require me to be rich. And I know how much problems it will attract, how much relationships it will wreck, and how much danger it will bring to my life. But I do…

I am curious what your big goal is and why you think it requires "wealth" to accomplish it. You can email me if you don't want to state it publicly (my gmail is talithamichele).

Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#107

Post by Mz »

speeder wrote: post #8

I want to get rich. But I don't want to do it because I want stuff. I don't want a Audi, or a Maserati, or a fancy home, or the newest gadget. I have a objective, a plan, for me, and for future generations, and I know how much it will cost, and doing it will require me to be rich. And I know how much problems it will attract, how much relationships it will wreck, and how much danger it will bring to my life. But I do…

I am curious what your big goal is and why you think it requires "wealth" to accomplish it. You can email me if you don't want to state it publicly (my gmail is talithamichele).

Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#108

Post by antihero »

pg wrote: post #91

The next thing you need to understand about money is this: all of the things you picture buying, they are only worthwhile to you because you cannot afford them (or have to work really hard to acquire them). That was one of the biggest surprises for me. I never realized the degree to which not being able to afford certain things was what was making me want them. That childhood excitement of saving up your money to buy…

I've never wanted stuff, just tools, but not necessarily super functional ones. For instance, I'd love to be able to buy and run a music venue and get loads of awesome bands to play and things. Or tape a £20 to the pavement, or get a hot tub and hold amazing parties. Or just ridiculous things, like hiring a load of escorts and having a Tekken tournament. Then there's using the money to invest in people and things that could become awesome, like the local music scene or impoverished charities (like rape crisis centres and anything related to the homeless). Or, fuck it, setting up your own charity to help people sort their lives out.

Just buying material goods and status symbols is never going to make you happy. Doing cool shit on the down-low is a much better goal IMHO.

Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#109

Post by lawn »

edraferi wrote: post #89
lawn wrote: post #15

I want to get rich, not for the sake of it, the "power" or statue. I want to get rich so I can fulfill some of my dreams - I want to live near my birthplace where the job opportunities aren't so good, I want to own a snooker table and a nice house and most of all I don't want the pressure to always have to provide for my eventual family. I want to get rich so I can get away with working with fun, but high risk, proje…

You should read "So Good They Can't Ignore You." It lays out a clever mental model for turning interests into skills into control over your career. http://www.amazon.com/Good-They-Cant-Ignore-You/dp/145550912...

I might actually do that. Thanks for the tip.

Re: Is getting rich worth it?

#110

Post by speeder »

Mz wrote: post #106
speeder wrote: post #8

I want to get rich. But I don't want to do it because I want stuff. I don't want a Audi, or a Maserati, or a fancy home, or the newest gadget. I have a objective, a plan, for me, and for future generations, and I know how much it will cost, and doing it will require me to be rich. And I know how much problems it will attract, how much relationships it will wreck, and how much danger it will bring to my life. But I do…

I am curious what your big goal is and why you think it requires "wealth" to accomplish it. You can email me if you don't want to state it publicly (my gmail is talithamichele).

Oh, it is very political and related to very long term thinking, if I disclose here the result will be a crazy flamewar (because it is a sensitive topic, that I know lots of people support, and lots of people think it is horribly wrong).

So, it is better not :)

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