Do we need a new age of facepunching?

[eyesonthehorizon]

This strikes me as a “why are you booing [him], [he’s] right!” moment.

Yes saving for FI still makes sense if you love your job, because it provides security and enables you to get even richer as you continue working. Still, knowing you intend to continue working takes the pressure off the time horizon, and makes it much easier to let go a bit instead white-knuckling your way to maximal savings.

Liking your job, and specifically choosing it over higher paying jobs, doesn't mean you plan to work it forever. I really liked what I did and would choose to do that again if I wanted to a job again, didn't mean I didn't want to get to FI so I could leave to go do other things I was interested in - or at least have that option.

Anyways my point was more about Ron Scott's comment about lower income people are "dragging ass instead of kicking ass" at their jobs. I found that to be highly insulting to the legion of people who - due to life circumstances or choice - have lower income jobs.

Considering this was the guy who said poor people couldn’t be rightly called “shrewd, thrifty, or frugal” (I’m missing another quality he insisted they couldn’t possess) I don’t think he cares about insulting people for either their circumstances or their choices.

I don’t get the point in trying to drag the Mr. Money Mustache forum away from mustachianism towards “success is when you earn & spend as much as possible over a lifetime” when Bogleheads already exists.

[spartana]

This strikes me as a “why are you booing [him], [he’s] right!” moment.

Yes saving for FI still makes sense if you love your job, because it provides security and enables you to get even richer as you continue working. Still, knowing you intend to continue working takes the pressure off the time horizon, and makes it much easier to let go a bit instead white-knuckling your way to maximal savings.

Liking your job, and specifically choosing it over higher paying jobs, doesn't mean you plan to work it forever. I really liked what I did and would choose to do that again if I wanted to a job again, didn't mean I didn't want to get to FI so I could leave to go do other things I was interested in - or at least have that option.

Anyways my point was more about Ron Scott's comment about lower income people are "dragging ass instead of kicking ass" at their jobs. I found that to be highly insulting to the legion of people who - due to life circumstances or choice - have lower income jobs.

Considering this was the guy who said poor people couldn’t be rightly called “shrewd, thrifty, or frugal” (I’m missing another quality he insisted they couldn’t possess) I don’t think he cares about insulting people for either their circumstances or their choices.

I don’t get the point in trying to drag the Mr. Money Mustache forum away from mustachianism towards “success is when you earn & spend as much as possible over a lifetime” when Bogleheads already exists.

I didn't mind the message - work more, get a higher paying job, ditto for the spouse/SO,  etc to reach FI sooner -  which is all very much MMM's mantra (minus the spend more stuff). I just don't understand why the little insulting digs are needed.

[beee]

I had the best job in the world until I hadn't. Our small Canadian startup was acquired by a big US corporation and things went downhill pretty fast.

I was not worried about myself losing the job because of years of saving 60%+ of our income. So, FI is important no matter how good of a job you have right now. Things change, jobs change, everything changes and sometimes even ends.

[Bear Stache]

Yes, I worked for a great startup, and we grew from around 20 people, to about 100 people. We were then acquired by a large 7,000 person company, and corporate enshitification rapidly followed. I retired when the shit sandwiches became too large to swallow. I've told my OG friends from the original startup that if we could go back to those startup days, I would still be working, because I loved it. I love retirement as well, but I miss the camaraderie of those days.

Things can change quickly. Best be prepared when they do. Everyone that I worked with is still surprised that I retired when I did.

[Freedomin5]

Very true. I just found out my old company has lost so much market share that it’s closing down another two locations. When I joined 12 years ago, it was the largest player in the field. I left 5 years ago. People were surprised, since I was well-compensated and one of the company’s top performers. Since then, it’s gone from 10+ locations to two.

Due to COVID, politics and power plays, and unstable leadership, my current company is also starting to struggle. We are getting ready to FIRE.

In today’s world, things can change quickly. Im glad we started preparing to FIRE on Day 1. We don’t worry at all about the state of the company because we are completely FI. That is how I’ve been counseling my younger coworkers as well. They think that, because they have a good education, they will always have a job. I told them not to equate being employable with having a job, because you never know what will happen in your chosen field. Right now, they need to make hay while the sun is shining and they need to store that up and invest it, to prepare for future days of famine.

Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked.