Over Concern

F

ferco

Recycles dryer sheets
Joined
Sep 14, 2004
Messages
330
I've noticed / observed that those who are non-FIRE'ers are overly concerned that those who are FIRE minded will suffer some sort of mental collapse or breakdown from lack of work or activity. They seem to feel that any risk outside of the traditional is unwarranted, foolish and reckless endangerment. The concept that one would even consider early "retirement" is almost blasphemy and unless you're constantly chasing the "golden calf", that you're somehow wierd. That you buy khaki's at WalMart for $9 when you can afford $125 slacks at JosABanks is criteria for admission to a Psych ward........anyone else have similar experiences ?
 
ferco said:
I've noticed / observed that those who are non-FIRE'ers are overly concerned that those who are FIRE minded will suffer some sort of mental collapse or breakdown from lack of work or activity. They seem to feel that any risk outside of the traditional is unwarranted, foolish and reckless endangerment. The concept that one would even consider early "retirement" is almost blasphemy and unless you're constantly chasing the "golden calf", that you're somehow wierd. That you buy khaki's at WalMart for $9 when you can afford $125 slacks at JosABanks is criteria for admission to a Psych ward........anyone else have similar experiences ?
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No. I always kind of hid my goals.

Ha
 
Those types of folk are the group (admittedly the majority) that never considered FIRE. It's not within their life experience, they see it as an aberration. If you catch them young, they are basically normal. I was one of them. Who besides the couple dozen that hang here think about any retirement let alone early in their twenties or even thirties. When you get into discussions with people in the 40's and 50's you're raining on their parade. They don't like you messing with their comfort zone. You may also be pointing out that if they had made even slightly different life choices they could be in your boat, but they didn't and would rather not here about you lording if over them. They've made their beds, it's too late to change the sheets now! Why did you have to be a wise guy and bring up this FIRE concept when they where happily willing to stumble into a "normal" age retirement based on SS and some late savings in their 50's and 60's. You have your NERVE!
 
ferco said:
I've noticed / observed that those who are non-FIRE'ers are overly concerned that those who are FIRE minded will suffer some sort of mental collapse or breakdown from lack of work or activity. They seem to feel that any risk outside of the traditional is unwarranted, foolish and reckless endangerment. The concept that one would even consider early "retirement" is almost blasphemy and unless you're constantly chasing the "golden calf", that you're somehow wierd. That you buy khaki's at WalMart for $9 when you can afford $125 slacks at JosABanks is criteria for admission to a Psych ward........anyone else have similar experiences ?
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Don't worry, they will "come around and see the light" when they FIRE themselves :LOL:


I do get the response several times. They ask, "what do you do with all this time?" At first, I used try to find ways to "explain myself" to justify my decision. Now, mostly I just say, "I do what I want to do." :LOL: Then if they aren't satisfied, I say, "The best part I've found about retiring, is I treat every day like Saturday" :D
 
ferco said:
....any risk outside of the traditional is unwarranted, foolish and reckless endangerment....
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If the "traditional" means working for 40+ years before retiring on a traditional corporate pension and/or welfare with limited other savings outside a paid off home in the suburbs then it is the "traditional" that is "unwarranted, foolish and reckless endangerment". Relying on a corporate pension has been shown to be risky. Welfare payments have not kept pace with cost of living increases. And all this depends on keeping up more or less continuous paid employment for 40+ years - good luck with that.

It is much safer and more satisfying to accelerate savings, keep expenses low (but consistent with enjoying life) and aim to retire early - should you chose to. If you want to keep working - good for you. If you have better things to do with your finite life - ditto. If you keep working because you can't find the mental stimulation outside the work force then you need therapy (or at least check out the "what did you do today" thread).
 
ferco said:
, that you're somehow wierd. That you buy khaki's at WalMart for $9 when you can afford $125 slacks at JosABanks is criteria for admission to a Psych ward.
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First, we are weird; if that means different priorities than the mass of men (who live lives of quiet desperation).

The people I have encountered do not think that I am weird. Most are on the same wavelength.I've influenced some of my relations to Er and inspired the some of the younger generation to save and think about ER.
 
I think most people justify their situation. I believe this is easier than admitting fear of the unknown.
 
After a contract meeting, I was chatting with an accountant who works with our physician group. She noted that new, young recruits are much more focused on negotiating good retirement benefits than in previous years. YMMV.
 
ferco said:
I've noticed / observed that those who are non-FIRE'ers are overly concerned that those who are FIRE minded will suffer some sort of mental collapse or breakdown from lack of work or activity. They seem to feel that any risk outside of the traditional is unwarranted, foolish and reckless endangerment. The concept that one would even consider early "retirement" is almost blasphemy and unless you're constantly chasing the "golden calf", that you're somehow wierd. That you buy khaki's at WalMart for $9 when you can afford $125 slacks at JosABanks is criteria for admission to a Psych ward........anyone else have similar experiences ?
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I never really gave a cr*p what anyone thought of me or my lifestyle.:LOL::LOL::greetings10:
 
ferco said:
I've noticed / observed that those who are non-FIRE'ers are overly concerned that those who are FIRE minded will suffer some sort of mental collapse or breakdown from lack of work or activity.
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It's what keeps them working. Eventually they realize that it's far better to confront the threat of mental collapse than to have to keep showing up for work. If they can't get over that concern, well, then they're not ready for FIRE yet.

ferco said:
They seem to feel that any risk outside of the traditional is unwarranted, foolish and reckless endangerment. The concept that one would even consider early "retirement" is almost blasphemy and unless you're constantly chasing the "golden calf", that you're somehow wierd.
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Ah, I believe that behavior would be limited to Ted (ca. 2004) and Bosco (who I don't see around here much anymore).

As for the rest of it, apparently ER is the excuse I've been looking for all these years as a reason to be thought "weird".

ferco said:
That you buy khaki's at WalMart for $9 when you can afford $125 slacks at JosABanks is criteria for admission to a Psych ward........anyone else have similar experiences ?
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Eh, it's what we do all day...
 
ferco said:
I've noticed / observed that those who are non-FIRE'ers are overly concerned that those who are FIRE minded will suffer some sort of mental collapse or breakdown from lack of work or activity. They seem to feel that any risk outside of the traditional is unwarranted, foolish and reckless endangerment. The concept that one would even consider early "retirement" is almost blasphemy and unless you're constantly chasing the "golden calf", that you're somehow wierd. That you buy khaki's at WalMart for $9 when you can afford $125 slacks at JosABanks is criteria for admission to a Psych ward........anyone else have similar experiences ?
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Well, don't rub it in their faces! Just say that you are building an emergency fund, paying off your house, maxing out your 401K, or whatever you happen to be doing, with the purpose of getting into a more financially stable situation in this awful economy, which might be getting worse, and this is why you are being frugal. :angel: It's only half a lie for most of us.

They just want to know that you are miserable and living paycheck to paycheck, like they are. Let them assume that you must be paying off some serious CC debt. ;)
 
I agree.. This FIRE stuff is madness!

Everyone should continue to w*rk [-]pay in to SS[/-].

Plus continue the consumerism binge... it helps [-]my investments[/-] corporate profits so they can employ more people which is good for the economy.

:greetings10:
 
ferco said:
The concept that one would even consider early "retirement" is almost blasphemy and unless you're constantly chasing the "golden calf", that you're somehow wierd. That you buy khaki's at WalMart for $9 when you can afford $125 slacks at JosABanks is criteria for admission to a Psych ward........anyone else have similar experiences ?
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I did have these experiences until I retired. :crazy:Now people call for advice. :cell:
 
ferco said:
That you buy khaki's at WalMart for $9 when you can afford $125 slacks at JosABanks is criteria for admission to a Psych ward........anyone else have similar experiences ?
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Yes, we have. During a phone conversation with the Spendarina SIL, DW mentioned that most of the income from my current job was going into savings.

There was this sort of stunned silence on the other end of the line, as if the SIL was struggling with the foreign concept of saving any money.

These are people in their early fifties who are still living paycheck-to-paycheck, have bought three new cars in the last five years, and whose "emergency fund" is $500.
 
Keim said:
I know, W2R. I was joking about the likelihood of this particular group of netizens having that.
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Oh!! Oops, you fooled me. :LOL: I should have figured that out from the :whistle: smilie that you used. Yes, you're right that most of us don't have credit card debt. A few of us (like me) don't even choose to have a credit card at all, but then most here think that is somewhere between insane and impossible. ;)
 
Some of my coworkers asked me. But then again, I had been working part-time for 7 years prior to my retiring, so it wasn't really a big change. Many of the people I hang with are older than me, retirees, so now I have more in common with them! :)
 
It's total nonsense. Everyone knows sitting around the house doing nothing increases the risk of mental illness. Instead of "freedom" you get to live in constant fear that your income stream and/or portfolio would shrink due to uncontrolled external shocks.

Rather than FIRE, AIR, or WATER, focus on obtaining happiness.
 
oilspill said:
It's total nonsense. Everyone knows sitting around the house doing nothing increases the risk of mental illness. Instead of "freedom" you get to live in constant fear that your income stream and/or portfolio would shrink due to uncontrolled external shocks.

Rather than FIRE, AIR, or WATER, focus on obtaining happiness.
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"Everyone Knows..."
 
oilspill said:
It's total nonsense. Everyone knows sitting around the house doing nothing increases the risk of mental illness. Instead of "freedom" you get to live in constant fear that your income stream and/or portfolio would shrink due to uncontrolled external shocks.

Rather than FIRE, AIR, or WATER, focus on obtaining happiness.
Click to expand...

Seems to me, you should work on your own happiness. Happy people don't go around trolling the internet.
 
oilspill said:
It's total nonsense. Everyone knows sitting around the house doing nothing increases the risk of mental illness.
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Oh, no!

Instead of "freedom" you get to live in constant fear that your income stream and/or portfolio would shrink due to uncontrolled external shocks.
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Like when I get laid off, or the factory explodes, or when I push THAT button?

Rather than FIRE, AIR, or WATER, focus on obtaining happiness.
Click to expand...

Joy!

Happy, happy, joy, joy!
Happy, happy, joy, joy!
Happy, happy, joy, joy, *PLONK*!

stimpy.jpg
 
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