Elon is very clever in the very narrow areas where he was successful, but massively dumb in the areas in which he is now wallowing and losing a lot of money.
people with the money are generally those that want it most and prepared to do the most for it - both in terms of effort and exploiting others- beyond a very basic level of intelligence required to understand for example that you make money by buying cheaper than you sell, it is has very little link with intelligence but I am not sure why it should?
Actually I don't mind acknowledging that, in the grand scheme of things, when you think about how many people work for subsistence wages even in the developed world, I have more money than I deserve.
On September 14, 2020, Feeney closed down the Atlantic Philanthropies after the nonprofit accomplished its mission of giving away all of its money by 2020.
Raise Inheritance Tax till it hurts. Private inherited wealth exacerbates inequality.
High-level qualifications count for nothing in Britain unless you were born rich went to a top public school, Oxbridge and already have the connections. You can then line your pockets and fook up the country.
The rich and idiotic represent much of what is wrong with this country.
A lot of educated middle class peeps are frustrated because they thought they’d be much better off by now. Sounds like you’re one of them - time to rightsize life expectations.
Indeed. I altered my expectations a long time ago. Acceptance is very therapeutic and good for the MH. Now I live for today and see what tomorrow brings. Yesterday doesn't exist.
The middle class has been killed by Govts in the UK, USA and much of the West by supply-side economics. Tax cuts only benefited the top one or 0.1 per cent.
Rather than raging about tax policies which you won’t affect better to know that you’d likely be no happier with an extra 600k in your bank account. More secure maybe - better wine - but not actually any happier.
You may be right there, TommyB. It is probably also necessary to be a pushy little khoont. Does he drink alcopops from the bottle and take his two weeks in Spain?
I do not believe this “total disconnection between financial power and intelligence /skill/thoughtful disposition”.
It might appear that way but really it is more that the power and the wealth flow to those who do stuff, take risks and display an understanding of human nature. Unlike lawyers!
It appears that way because it is fundamentally true Minkie. The vast majority of significant wealth held in this world was taken by force, fear or fraud or inherited from someone who took it one of those ways.
Most of the rest was 'earned' either by one way or another benefiting from the rights to a technology that the person holding the wealth did not themselves personally invent or even (from a technological standpoint) develop or by making available to people something that humans are prone to becoming addicted to whether that is gambling, drugs, sugar or dopamine hits from social media.
It should matter little to the good people of rof. Studies consistently show that once you have your basic needs met (which pretty much all of us on here do) the only real way that money drives happiness is in how you feel about your status relative to others and that ultimately is just a question of who you choose to compare yourself to and what criteria you choose to apply.
Equally thinking about whether you have more or less money than you 'deserve' is a complete waste of time. All of us will work less hard and do less good for the sum of human progress and happiness than countless others. Equally we will work harder and do less harm (at a minimum) than countless others who earn far more. It's a mugs game. Sadly it's a game we are programmed to play, certainly socially and maybe even genetically. Still we are supposed to have some element of free will/capacity for rational thought right?
" the only real way that money drives happiness is in how you feel about your status relative to others and that ultimately is just a question of who you choose to compare yourself to and what criteria you choose to apply."
This is true but to some extent it also drive happiness in terms of personal contentedness relating to your ability to keep your needs met in the future - which may be nearly the same as having your needs met now, but its not quite the same.
I think that is important to most people - not that they can be warm, clothed, fed and entertained now, but that they have generated / saved / invested (in whatever form) in order to protect that experience in the future. In effect "security". Its why plenty of people say that a £1m lottery win wouldnt make much of a difference to them - as they look at it in terms of its ability to generate future income - (perhaps £40k a year) rather than what you could do with it now - buying a Ferrari and eating from the gusset of salt bae
True snippy, but again most of us on here can relatively straightforwardly generate security (through a combination of savings and insurance) to generate that security for a level of income that meets our actual basic needs. In my own family's case lives would have to change relatively radically if I became sick and had to stop working tomorrow. We wouldn't face actual, genuine hardship though.
Yes, agreed (although I have to confess I drive a fairly flash car as well). We digress though. My point is just that the world is so utterly unfair in terms of the way that resources are allocated that it's probably not worth getting unduly wound up about whether you sit in the top 5% or 10% since you have already lucked out. Trick is to stop trying to justify your own position to yourself by somehow trying to convince yourself you are worth it or earned it in any sort of genuinely meritocratic way.
Can you ever have enough money? I've always thought that even the King feels he should have more. And even if he feels he has enough money maybe he wants more of something else, like power?
If you are on £500k as a law partner is that enough or would you feel that £550k would "take the edge off"? I started on about £34k which seemed a lot as a student. Then I thought £50k would be ok, then I was on £50k thinking £80k would do, until I was there and though £100k must surely be comfortable, until now I'm thinking £200k will do. Maybe I'm just greedy but I seem to up my lifestyle with the increments so I can never "win".
I think the truth is Donny is right. All Roffers are doing ok.
The secret to a happy llfe I think is to earn a comfortable living but keep a modes lifestyle - the lifestyle upgrades dont make anyone any happier really (certainly in my case, wealth and happiness have had no correlation whatsoever, the most unhappy time of my life was when I was the wealthiest) but saving enough for security and a possible early retirement do.
2
0
This is just a way of your saying "given how smart I am, I should be richer", right? 😉
0
0
No, I am paralysed with numerous personal flaws that render my cleverness practically unuseful in most contexts.
But there are so many bloody chavs influencing all sorts of markets now it's making the markets worse.
0
0
you mean Elon.. lots of money, lots of unchecked narcissism and somehow still fails upwards.
0
0
I mean all the south of England boomers
Elon is dangerous but he's not dumb
1
0
So everyone in the south of England aged between 60 and 78 depresses you?
Slightly odd thing to get worked up about.
What if they were born in Mexico and moved to the South of England when they were 55 do they still count?
0
0
Elon is very clever in the very narrow areas where he was successful, but massively dumb in the areas in which he is now wallowing and losing a lot of money.
0
0
Hasn't that always been the case through human history--the disconnect between wealth and intellect/whathaveyou?
2
0
people with the money are generally those that want it most and prepared to do the most for it - both in terms of effort and exploiting others- beyond a very basic level of intelligence required to understand for example that you make money by buying cheaper than you sell, it is has very little link with intelligence but I am not sure why it should?
0
0
Private equity shout?
0
0
How many people believe they have more money than they deserve?
I suspect even lotto winners would struggle to admit that .
0
0
Actually I don't mind acknowledging that, in the grand scheme of things, when you think about how many people work for subsistence wages even in the developed world, I have more money than I deserve.
Not giving it up though.
0
0
Chuck Feeney:
$8 Billion
0
0
Raise Inheritance Tax till it hurts. Private inherited wealth exacerbates inequality.
High-level qualifications count for nothing in Britain unless you were born rich went to a top public school, Oxbridge and already have the connections. You can then line your pockets and fook up the country.
The rich and idiotic represent much of what is wrong with this country.
2
0
A lot of educated middle class peeps are frustrated because they thought they’d be much better off by now. Sounds like you’re one of them - time to rightsize life expectations.
0
0
Indeed. I altered my expectations a long time ago. Acceptance is very therapeutic and good for the MH. Now I live for today and see what tomorrow brings. Yesterday doesn't exist.
0
0
The middle class has been killed by Govts in the UK, USA and much of the West by supply-side economics. Tax cuts only benefited the top one or 0.1 per cent.
0
0
Rather than raging about tax policies which you won’t affect better to know that you’d likely be no happier with an extra 600k in your bank account. More secure maybe - better wine - but not actually any happier.
2
0
It’s very obvious that the MD on my desk isn’t the most clevererist person on the desk. They just wanted it more.
0
0
You may be right there, TommyB. It is probably also necessary to be a pushy little khoont. Does he drink alcopops from the bottle and take his two weeks in Spain?
0
0
I’m intrigued as to why it’s the south of England Boomers that are being singled out here.
What has Chambo done to upset you now?
0
0
Isn't Chambo from Wakefield?
Anyway, Guy nails it.
Making money is about being very very determined.
0
0
Yes focus on the money. Prioritise it and fight for it. It’s actually fun making money. Going from absolutely broke and coming back from that…
0
0
I have no idea where Chambo originated from. Given his love of Union I doubt it is Wakefield, but that may be the case.
Anyway, he is a Guildford Boomer, so very much the target demographic for Clergs here.
2
0
I do not believe this “total disconnection between financial power and intelligence /skill/thoughtful disposition”.
It might appear that way but really it is more that the power and the wealth flow to those who do stuff, take risks and display an understanding of human nature. Unlike lawyers!
1
0
It appears that way because it is fundamentally true Minkie. The vast majority of significant wealth held in this world was taken by force, fear or fraud or inherited from someone who took it one of those ways.
Most of the rest was 'earned' either by one way or another benefiting from the rights to a technology that the person holding the wealth did not themselves personally invent or even (from a technological standpoint) develop or by making available to people something that humans are prone to becoming addicted to whether that is gambling, drugs, sugar or dopamine hits from social media.
It should matter little to the good people of rof. Studies consistently show that once you have your basic needs met (which pretty much all of us on here do) the only real way that money drives happiness is in how you feel about your status relative to others and that ultimately is just a question of who you choose to compare yourself to and what criteria you choose to apply.
Equally thinking about whether you have more or less money than you 'deserve' is a complete waste of time. All of us will work less hard and do less good for the sum of human progress and happiness than countless others. Equally we will work harder and do less harm (at a minimum) than countless others who earn far more. It's a mugs game. Sadly it's a game we are programmed to play, certainly socially and maybe even genetically. Still we are supposed to have some element of free will/capacity for rational thought right?
0
0
" the only real way that money drives happiness is in how you feel about your status relative to others and that ultimately is just a question of who you choose to compare yourself to and what criteria you choose to apply."
This is true but to some extent it also drive happiness in terms of personal contentedness relating to your ability to keep your needs met in the future - which may be nearly the same as having your needs met now, but its not quite the same.
I think that is important to most people - not that they can be warm, clothed, fed and entertained now, but that they have generated / saved / invested (in whatever form) in order to protect that experience in the future. In effect "security". Its why plenty of people say that a £1m lottery win wouldnt make much of a difference to them - as they look at it in terms of its ability to generate future income - (perhaps £40k a year) rather than what you could do with it now - buying a Ferrari and eating from the gusset of salt bae
0
0
True snippy, but again most of us on here can relatively straightforwardly generate security (through a combination of savings and insurance) to generate that security for a level of income that meets our actual basic needs. In my own family's case lives would have to change relatively radically if I became sick and had to stop working tomorrow. We wouldn't face actual, genuine hardship though.
0
0
That probably makes you happier than knowing that you could, if you wanted to, buy a Ferrari. It does for me.
0
0
Yes, agreed (although I have to confess I drive a fairly flash car as well). We digress though. My point is just that the world is so utterly unfair in terms of the way that resources are allocated that it's probably not worth getting unduly wound up about whether you sit in the top 5% or 10% since you have already lucked out. Trick is to stop trying to justify your own position to yourself by somehow trying to convince yourself you are worth it or earned it in any sort of genuinely meritocratic way.
0
0
Can you ever have enough money? I've always thought that even the King feels he should have more. And even if he feels he has enough money maybe he wants more of something else, like power?
If you are on £500k as a law partner is that enough or would you feel that £550k would "take the edge off"? I started on about £34k which seemed a lot as a student. Then I thought £50k would be ok, then I was on £50k thinking £80k would do, until I was there and though £100k must surely be comfortable, until now I'm thinking £200k will do. Maybe I'm just greedy but I seem to up my lifestyle with the increments so I can never "win".
I think the truth is Donny is right. All Roffers are doing ok.
1
0
The secret to a happy llfe I think is to earn a comfortable living but keep a modes lifestyle - the lifestyle upgrades dont make anyone any happier really (certainly in my case, wealth and happiness have had no correlation whatsoever, the most unhappy time of my life was when I was the wealthiest) but saving enough for security and a possible early retirement do.
Join the discussion