Attempting to get people to see the light!

[BigMoneyJim]

Originally Posted by Jay_Gatsby

Then again, that same Puritan work ethic has allowed the U.S. to stay at the economic and technological forefront for quite a few years...

I think having factories out of bomb range of the enemy during WWII helped a lot, too. The U.S. industrial infrastructure was never smashed while much of the other industrialized countries' infrastructure was.

As far as evangelizing ER, I think it's a waste of time. I've found another about my age with thoughts of financial independence and perhaps ER, and we have some good conversations. Another coworker smiles and says he's helping the economy with maxed-out credit cards and a new truck. Challenging someone's spending habits is probably as futile as challenging their spiritual beliefs or political leanings. Money is very personal.

Admittedly I'm not the type of person to coerce in the first place.

[SteveR]

Originally Posted by BigMoneyJim

I think having factories out of bomb range of the enemy during WWII helped a lot, too. The U.S. industrial infrastructure was never smashed while much of the other industrialized countries' infrastructure was.

I would suggest looking to Japan and Germany'st industrial might. We provided them the necessity for building newer and more productive factories that pushed them ahead of our ability to keep up and still make enough to be profitable. Look at the steel industry and the car industry. Both were bombed into the stone age but when they built them back they were state of the art and they kicked our butt because we did not upgrade our factories to keep up. Sorry but I just don't buy the disadvantage of not having your infastructure bombed away as a reason for low industrial output. The facts would say otherwise.

[BigMoneyJim]

So did all the Puritans go to Germany and Japan and build cars? I'm getting lost here.

[HFWR]

Nope, still here...

[savinglikecrazy]

I don't talk about it anymore with people I know. Most people don't even look a year down the road, let alone 10, 20 or 30 years.

I have a good friend who seems awestruck by my financial progress (I've shared with her my struggle -- and success -- in paying off six figures of non-mortgage debt) over the years, and seems genuinely interested in knowing more about saving and investing. On the other hand, she seems baffled when I talk about having a two year plan, a five year plan, a ten year plan, which is all tied into these other financial activities. I can't decide if it's fatalism or optimism -- but she seems to think it's useless to plan.

Like a lot of people, she thinks everything will somehow work out okay. A combination of getting an inheritance and social security. Most people can't conceive of the inheritance being eaten up by medical costs...or...that they're not entitled to it! I treat my parents' money as their money. Not mine. And I've written off social security as a definite thing. Jettisoning these two presumptions is actually liberating and helps contribute to my ability to save and invest, because I really do *hold the attitude that no one's going to take care of me except for...me.

I've talked to her about LBYM, the power of compounding interest, automatic savings/investing, etc. None of it seems to stick. Or she doesn't connect what I do with what anyone can do. That it's a choice/tradeoff you make every single day. I'm somehow "lucky" or "talented" in some mysterious way. How else did I get out of debt and save all that money up? Luck! Talent! So I've given up and figure we'll be living very different lives 10-15 years from now.

I've even tried putting it this way: You work hard, save and live frugally for 15-20 years, so you can stop working at a young age and do what you want with your days for...30, 40, 50 years? Since the women in my family literally do live to 100, this is a good deal to me!

Oh well. I know people who are out of shape and hate it. They wonder why I'm in such good shape now, when I used to be fat and out of shape. It's because I exercise every day and don't eat too much. Yet, that's a huge mystery and somehow unattainable still. You can hang a sign up for people and they still miss the obvious.

What's going to be very interesting is the day that I announce that I'm FIRE, which I'm working toward in 2014-2016. There's another thing: You mention planning for something in "2016" and people look at you like you're from Neptune. They can't conceive of having an awareness of anything that far in the future. But, it's a mere decade from now. Unless I leave the earth prematurely, that day will arrive and I want to be happy on that day rather than feeling helpless and full of regret for the lost opportunities.

When that day comes, some part of thinks I shouldn't even tell people except those who are closest to me that I'm FIRE...just not talk about work so much, etc.

It's a fun dilemma to think about, anyway.

[laurence]

NEWSFLASH - a coworker I evangelized to just started reading "4 pillars" today, and has upped his 401k contribution from 6% (the company match) to 10% and opened a ROTH. He's about 25 years old. So maybe there is hope. The caveat is this guy was already thinking about it, and he has "winner" stamped on his forehead - technical lead already, scratch golfer, dates "the hot chick" at work, universally liked and admired, etc.

So I think you can push people over the edge, but figuring out who that is, that's the hard part.

[REWahoo]

Originally Posted by Laurence

NEWSFLASH - a coworker I evangelized to just started reading "4 pillars" today, and has upped his 401k contribution from 6% (the company match) to 10% and opened a ROTH...

So I think you can push people over the edge, but figuring out who that is, that's the hard part.

Laurence, what the heck have you been smoking, you loon!?

You may be a moderator, but you don't have any sort of recruitment quota to the wonderful world of FIRE. To paraphrase C-T, let 'em eat cake keep working and funding SS.

[maddythebeagle]

From another point of view, has anybody rec. unsolicited advise from coworkers or friends? Did YOU enjoy it?

[cube_rat]

Originally Posted by Have Funds, Will Retire

Nope, still here...

LOLOLOLOL! What a GREAT avatar!

Roll me a fatty!

[Jarhead*]

Originally Posted by REWahoo!

Laurence, what the heck have you been smoking, you loon!?

You may be a moderator, but you don't have any sort of recruitment quota to the wonderful world of FIRE.* To paraphrase C-T, let 'em eat cake keep working and funding SS.*

ReWahoo: Laurence is doing his job as moderator. Unless you get with the program, and document at least 10 converts in the next 2 months, you may find yourself on a "work-plan"

Nah, I agree with Cut-Throat. Golf courses are already too crowded.

By the way, saw your two jokes, good ones.
But why in the hell does that character walk around with loaves of wheat bread all the time.?

[REWahoo]

Originally Posted by ex-Jarhead

But why in the hell does that character walk around with loaves of wheat bread all the time.?

To maintain his status as an upstanding citizen. 8)

[Jarhead*]

Originally Posted by REWahoo!

To maintain his status as an upstanding citizen. 8)

Pretty good straight man, huh?

[Nords]

Originally Posted by ex-Jarhead

Pretty good straight man, huh?

As "long" as he's not "outstanding" in his field...