What a person could achieve with 30 years of retirement

[deborah]

Almost 30 years ago, a young man and his associates bombed the Melbourne police headquarters, killing one policewoman and injuring 22 others.

He was 22, and was sentenced to life imprisonment (Australia does not have capital punishment), with a minimum of 30 years jail. He is currently suing the prison system for not allowing him to finish a course to be a counsellor - see http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-24/russell-st-bomber-takes-legal-action-to-complete-counselling-/7197390 - and as a result, his achievements over the past 30 years are in the media.

Of course, the whole article may not be correct about his achievements in the last 30 years. However, he has a lot at stake to tell the truth about his achievements since he is about to become eligible for parole. If we believe it, he has changed from someone who couldn't read or write, to someone who has a PhD, and has achieved a number of other things. If he hadn't been imprisoned I can't imagine that he could have achieved any of that partly because he would have needed to work or to continue to be a criminal.

Imagine what any one of us could achieve in 30 years of retirement ourselves - given what he may have achieved from such a low starting point. We all have many advantages that he doesn't - the first being freedom.

[arebelspy]

30 years to get a PhD, huh?

Sounds about right. 

No student loans, and probably a better diet than most grad students!

[arebelspy]

Good for him for doing that though.

We definitely could do a lot, if we were so inclined.

I'd be more inclined if I was locked up.  With freedom, there's a lot of experiences I'd like to have that would take away from a singular focus on something like that.

Still trying to decide what to do with my 40ish years.  I don't know that I'm any closer to figuring it out than 5 months ago...

[mamagoose]

Thank you for the inspiration from an unexpected source. Now you're making me think about going back for the PhD (which I previously didn't stay for b/c I was ready to get out there and start making money).

[arebelspy]

Thank you for the inspiration from an unexpected source. Now you're making me think about going back for the PhD (which I previously didn't stay for b/c I was ready to get out there and start making money).

I've thought about going back for a math degree (or studying it on my own, though I think the structure of specific courses would help), an avenue I thought about pursuing, but didn't.

I'd personally rather explore new fields than go deeper into one (ala a PhD), but I love that FI gives people the freedom to do either, and to really explore or learn whatever they want.  Perhaps they studied a "practical" field first, but now want to study one more whimsical.

As John Adams said:

I must study politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history and naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain.

I'm way down the line on the privilege scale there.  :)