I wonder if he’s happy. I mean, genuine question, not a snark. There’s obviously important reasons to be “productive” but there are many reasons to just let go, too. I wonder what his mental health looks like.
> I’m a person who’s only satisfied if I feel I’m being productive.
For anyone who is like this, you know exactly what he means. This is likely the result of the way you were raised, but for some of us, our mental health in adulthood really does hinge on feeling productive or not.
Whether that's healthy is a ship that sailed when we were just children. Instilled in us is a deep need to feel productive, and that's how we feel happy.
So yes, I think he's probably as happy as he can be.
The number is somewhat arbitrary, but it's enough money to spend most of your time doing what you want to do. Not enough to chase every whim, but enough that what you end up doing with the bulk of your time is a choice.
This is the saddest thing I've read recently
>> This is the saddest thing I've read recently
I read something sadder recently -- a mother in the US who was crying because she couldn't afford insulin for her child.
Seriously, sure, money doesnt solve all problems. But it sure as heck solves most problems. It adds others, but not as big as the ones it takes away.
(FYI, i've lived across the income spectrum thru my life from $10k/yr w/o healthcare to top 1%)
[1] I’m putting it in quotes, because it seems that the output of all this “productivity” consist mostly of filing cabinets and databases filled with mundane information about his life.
Or the bit where he runs Wolfram Research, a company with hundreds of employees and hundreds of millions a year in turnover which makes Mathematica?