Actually, I really like getting new stationary and pens. I’ve got some slick leather notebooks I got a various events and some nice pens and they really do make me excited. I guess I’m weird.
Wage and standard of living compression for most people that aren’t awesome and in good fields. See the thread I started a couple months ago “do we have too many people?”
My favorite is the Pilot Precise pens. My old job stocked them in multiple colors and it was great. Now I just have sh*t ballpoint pens at work. How do they expect me to be productive with that?
typical case of thinking of only the first order effects, rather than the second and third.
ie. the initial first order effect of going for a run SUCKS… sweaty, tired, out of breath… if we just considered that, nobody would run. Obviously the second, third, and further effects are good… aka health, stamina, better looking, etc.
Well yes, leather notebooks and nice pens, but we are talking about basic pencils and basic lined papers for the 3rd world children.
It’s easy for us to judge “oh those trust fund kids have it easy” and not remember that most of us on the forum are also on the top percentile in terms of world’s wealth. The fact that we have a computer proves my point.
Did you run across the work of Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray? They wrote extensively about class structure in America back in the nineties. Not saying anybody paid attention.
I’ve never had much ambition. People would ask me want I wanted to do with my life. My only answer, from the time I was 14, was that I never want to become a burden on anyone. My greatest fear. This carries over to my unborn children. I spend significantly less because of this attitude. I’ve always had a net worth I would have to have in order to have a child. Twice that for two. Triple for three. You get the idea. I find it particularly perverse that a government profits on the death of some of its citizens. Can’t we find a way to raise revenue without being a huge presence while families are grieving the loss of a loved one. I am at loss as to how people have no sense of responsibility in “setting up” their children. No one is truly free until financial concerns are met. If you feel there is merit in being a “slave” to the system, spend/gift away. The government encourages it. The numbers dependent on the government are growing rapidly. Is that by design? Is that the way it should be? Hell, I just heard yesterday there is a proposal to make it illegal for anyone that does not produce at least $10.10 an hour to have a job.
I happen to be a big fan. Others on here are not. See the following, which is in the “Black Swan come back” thread. (Ghibli–you’re too young to know Black Swan. Don’t know if you’re better or worse for that.)