Comment by lefstathiou | Hacker News Reader

Comment by lefstathiou | Hacker News Reader

I hope I'm not being an ass but this article annoyed me a bit. This guy came across very arrogant, self righteous and judgmental.

The following statements were just obnoxious: - "Yes, but I have something he'll never have: enough." - "I live simply. I hate waste and excess. I have a good apartment, a good laptop, and a few other basics. But the less I own, the happier I am. The lack of possessions gives me the priceless freedom to live anywhere anytime." - "it throws off perspective. It makes people do stupid things like buy “extra” cars or houses they don't use - or upgrade to first class for “only” $10,000 so they can be a little more comfortable for a few hours."

A) I've never met nor heard of any billionaire who got where they were because they were chasing dollars. All of them started out by LOVING what they did and doing it extremely well. The market rewarded them for the value they created for society. The greater the value, the greater the reward.

B) Why is he implying that because of their success, the rich are incapable of appreciating the simple things in life? Why does doing that require owning just one nice apartment in NYC a nice laptop, a brand new prius

C) What business it is of his how other people live their life and how they choose to spend their money. Everybody needs to be like him in order to be as valiant and noble?

I dunno... maybe i'm being a bit extreme but I just cant stand it when other people go around self righteously preaching about how other ppl should live their lives.

It struck me the same way. He projects a salesman's confidence and glibness, so my knee-jerk reaction is to roll my eyes and wonder what the hell he's selling. Well, it's obvious what. The entire post is plain and simple bragging. He says himself that he didn't do it out of altruism. He did it to maximize his happiness, which includes -- he says this explicitly -- enjoying the fact that he made such a bright decision. And though he doesn't say it, it's obvious that another one of the benefits he gets is the joy of telling everyone about his enlightened, tasteful choice.

Nothing he says is new. Choosing a life of utter freedom, security, and modest luxury over the relentless drive for more wealth and power is probably as old as stable urban societies and has probably been admired for the same reasons just as long. So we're not here to learn; we're just here to gawk at one of our celebrities. If HN had channels, this would be E!

Admire the man for what he's done, but for God's sake, have the sense to roll your eyes and stop admiring for a second when he tastelessly brags about it. Resume admiring when this little faux pas passes out of consciousness.

I agree!

I did all this over a year ago, and didn't plan on telling anyone. I knew it would sound like smug bragging.

But in a few entrepreneur-focused interviews since then, (VentureVoice, etc) - the interviewers seemed particularly interested in the details on how and why I set up the trust.

Yesterday I did another one of those interviews, and he pushed for details again - so today I thought I should just write it down once and for all, so I don't have to keep re-telling it.

Sorry if it sounds like bragging. Perhaps it is, a bit, but I hope that someone somewhere in the future selling their company might be aware that this is an option and read someone else's experience with how to structure it.

Most people aren't willing to talk about financial details at all. I find it fascinating myself. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Well, I say brag. You created a great company that did good things for people. It sold because it was good to a company who was going to use it to keep doing that good. You made a bunch of money that you rightfully deserved and then decided that you didn't need it all. So instead of building yet another monument to ridiculous excess, you made a smart plan to do even more good. Yes, friends, he gets a million bucks a year now. Even after all that. I bet he uses it for good stuff too. Brag Mr. Sivers. You've damn well earned it.

Being proud, egotistical, or a braggart are all human characteristics. I mention this for two reasons. First, without the benefit of direct contact, you really have no idea what kind of person sivers is, or what his intention was when posting. Second, even if he is an egotistical bastard, so what?

Few people are in a position to donate $20 M to charity. Fewer still who are willing to give up what they worked so hard to make. This puts sivers in the top (some small number) percent of human population in important objectively measurable criteria.

Personally, I enjoy learning more about people I admire, flaws and all.

"Why does doing that require owning just one nice apartment in NYC a nice laptop, a brand new prius"

Partly because owning a lot of crap tends to distract you and create a kind of gravitational pull that keeps you near the crap you own.

I thought he made it pretty clear that not owning much stuff made sense even for purely selfish reasons.

I read it a bit like that but most of what I got out of it was an interesting way to structure a deal that I might consider should I find myself in a similar circumstance. I would like a private jet though.

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