Missing part: the sadness of having too much fuck you money - like if you don't have to work ever again.
When you have more than you can spend, many things lose meaning.
When you have more than you can spend, many things lose meaning.
Have, say, a billion or more to spend? Start your own damn space program.
Actually, there are: coming from your imagination.
So I'm learning biology. When I'm done I won't bother with a postdoc but just start a research lab (or buy one).
It has helped me feel less empty, but the pandemic did hit me badly.
I thought I would pick up all those side projects which I abandoned due to lack of time but nope - it just didn't happen.
It's easier to do more stuff when you're already doing a lot. When you don't have to do anything, then it's hard to do any one thing (for me, at least).
For a while, then it would lose meaning.
I tried not working, it made me feel very empty inside. Human need goals. We aren't made to be idle for a long time.
I'll try to explain that better: "Fuck you" is when you refuse or sever a social connection. Don't do it too often. Because when you don't need any social connection, you have successfully create your gilded cage.
I've learned from my mistakes: Now I'm still retired but I work here and there, doing consulting or helping people, and learning biology.
It feels much better.
Say all these people say climbing Mount Everest is truly the most life changing thing they’ve ever done. Suddenly I start thinking maybe I should climb it too. I would love to hear stories to the contrary before I make the commitment.
And this is exactly why I wrote this comment. People here are looking to get rich without asking enough questions like "why" or "what then?"
Make a few millions if that's what you want- why not? But it won't make you happy.
Stay away from drugs. Keep doing things that you find interesting and bring you joy. Associate with cool people. And don't say "f you" too much because social connections and a few obligations here and there are what make life fun.
And I don't blame you, the entire political and financial apparatus of capitalist society is designed to protect the status, wealth and privilege of people like yourself at the expense of everyone else grinding their lives away under the millstone. Obviously the best thing to be in a capitalist society is a capitalist, to whom capital and the benefits of capital are intended to flow, rather than one of the shmucks being fed to Moloch.
But as far as feeling sympathy for the plight of the wealthy - I'm not a communist or even a socialist but I'm playing The Internationale on the world's smallest violin right now.
Indeed. If there is something wealth didn't change, it's my selfishness - just as much before as after!
And even if that wasn't enough, I could just gamble it on everything. Why not throw $100 billion into nuclear fusion research?
I'm confident I could spend the entire world GDP if I had it. I'm not saying I could do it well, but I sure as shit would have fun doing it.
As for gambling, I've never enjoyed that.
> Why not throw $100 billion into nuclear fusion research?
Because I don't care?
See, you have things you want, things you care about. Then you get them. And eventually there is nothing you desire anymore. Feel free to not believe me if you prefer but that's the cold hard truth.
Biology is the only thing a bit interesting to me. If I didn't have that, I think I would just slide into drugs and eventually OD. The sad story of Tony Hsieh acted as a stern reminder I had to keep my new path.
> I'm confident I could spend the entire world GDP if I had it. I'm not saying I could do it well, but I sure as shit would have fun doing it.
I don't know your goals, and I don't judge them, but if you are trying to get rich (as a lot of people on HN seem to desire) this mindset may be counter productive.
I didn't have the mindset that spending was fun when growing up (asian parenting...) This may be why I didn't spend anything when bitcoin crossed the any of the various price points.
There may be a selection effect: those who end up making over 6 digits of net worth are less likely to enjoy spending - and the more extra digits, the less likely.
Someone on this thread was saying they enjoyed seeing 7 digits in their account this year - I guess they sold at minimum 200 coins. Given the current price path, it's likely to break 150kUSD this summer. So if they had waited a bit, they would have been in the low 8 digits.
Those who sold when the $1 psychological price was passed got themselves a few meals, considering the same amount.
Do you see where it goes? I'm not advocating hodling, because there is a point where you have enough money for anything you want - but I think it's not true for the kind of people who find spending fun, and by consequence were driven to sell early.
Also, getting grifted is always an option.
Oh lastly - might I suggest lobbying for a simplified tax code that results in you having less money?
Money is not the problem, even if it contributes to it. Money is just an enabler. Money reveal your deepest tendancies. Remove it and you are back to square one.
In the past, when I was as naive, I gave some money to people: most people focus about tiny problems (the dishwasher broke!) that are easily solved with a few hundred or thousands.
Then I saw first hand how money is just an amplifier of human beings, and how it can help some people with bad tendencies destroy themselves - starting by teaching them effort is not necessary.
I don't give anything to anyone anymore. I learned before I did too much damage. I moved and broke contact.
I really dislike arbitrary cash handouts of the sort you pointed out above - it's why I'd encourage increasing employee take home if you have any employees. If that's not an option then there are a number of good and responsible charities.
Lastly - this comment (and the one above) aren't directed at judging you and I don't know the specifics of your situation. But judging how other people use their money is something that's best entirely avoided. If you donate two thousand dollars to a friend who uses the money to drown her problems in alcohol then it's unlikely she would've worked through those issues in a healthy way if you just never gave her money - it's hard though and I can certainly sympathize with a desire to avoid sending anyone money. I also think you're getting a lot of downvotes because you are speaking from a very unsympathetic position, but it is an interesting discussion so I'd urge you not to get discouraged.
I don't know, but I have a track record of success, while they have a track record of failure, so I am a bit doubtful it will change.
For example, I have a very deserving friend. I want to make sure he succeed. But I will never give in any crypto, as it would sell it the next day because he is afraid of variations. Likewise with money.
Instead, when I hear he is struggling, I hire him to perform some work that will benefit him in his carrier, to gently nudge him while providing money but not as a gift since in my experience it breaks people spirit.
> I also think you're getting a lot of downvotes because you are speaking from a very unsympathetic position, but it is an interesting discussion so I'd urge you not to get discouraged.
I am a bit- I have tried keeping a simple message for years to people who want to make money - before the last bull market, it was something like invest 1 or 2 grands in crypto, just money you can afford to lose, it will get you a brand new car (feel free to check my posting history, I don't remember the specific wording)
I even said that to arcticbull, who frequently diss crypto here.
And a few month later, those who listened got their car. Most people thought I was talking funny. It was lost on them. I find that very sad.
> If that's not an option then there are a number of good and responsible charities
I am now convinced money will do nothing, whether you have it or not, or at best very little. What matters is foresight and leverage, to convert your ideas into implementations. Leverage can be obtained - VC do that if you have charisma.
Fortunately for me I will not need them, as I am low on charisma! Still, biotech will be the next boom - whether it is augmenting humans, curing cancer, achieving immortality, it will bring lot of happiness.
This is interesting and I can help make it happen. It will help many orders of magnitude more people than my money could. So I am learning biology. Hopefully it I will help me infuse money at some very precise chokepoints where it will be able to act as a positive enabler. In crypto, I saw that happen by people who have built the likes of coinbase.
'When He got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home."'
BTW, you made your account in 2012. You have know about crypto for 9 years. If you had invested even a hundred dollars in 2012, or the next year you would not need to ask. HN has a lot of blame for the number of bright young hackers that were discouraged to invest in crypto.
Saw that in significant numbers in the rich heirs/esses going while going to a top school
I see it not as a failure caused buy the money, but by the lack of imagination.
As the Bard wrote: "The fault is not in our stars, But in ourselves..."
You now have the freedom to find a new challenge, whether starting your own space program, saving elephants or other species, solving education or poverty... Find something to be useful, dig in, and your passion will find you again.