Why do people think we’re/I’m crazy? Lol

[Bigdawg]

I ran into a guy from my company at an offsite meeting the other day. We are about the same age. I think he is actually 2-3 years closer to 59.5 than I am. I mentioned retirement and he looked at me with a blank stare and eventually said "why?". Further into the conversation he mentioned his wife is a financial planner. I left it at that. Some people just don't.won't get it.

[Markola]

On another string a few weeks ago, kcowan posted a quote by the actor Gary Oldman, “What other people think about me is none of my business.” I read that and the simple profundity of it stopped my in my tracks. I Googled it and it turns out a lot of people have said it. I can’t say I’ve attained it fully but it is an excellent dictum for an early retiree. I know that I have even close friends who have no concept of FIRE, so I’ve stopped mentioning it.

[easysurfer]

Once you pull it off, their thinking will change from "Are you crazy?" to "Wish I can retire! " when they see how carefree you are.

[O2Bfree]

It's funny how our society today raves about diversity --Celebrate Diversity!!!

But apparently it's ok to be diverse only in certain ways. If you're not spendin' and trendin' and workin' never-endin', then the frowns you'll be gettin'!

[EastWest Gal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by O2Bfree It's funny how our society today raves about diversity --Celebrate Diversity!!! But apparently it's ok to be diverse only in certain ways. If you're not spendin' and trendin' and workin' never-endin', then the frowns you'll be gettin'!

Only if you’re looking for that. My first attempt at early retirement was met with universal envy.

[Ronstar]

I have a class reunion coming up. I don’t want to deal with the retirement questions coming from that group. The friends and relatives questions have finally subsided after 4 years and now I have to endure another round.

[AnonEMouse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronstar I have a class reunion coming up. I don’t want to deal with the retirement questions coming from that group. The friends and relatives questions have finally subsided after 4 years and now I have to endure another round.

Perhaps don't go?

[kcowan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnonEMouse Perhaps don't go?

Or explain to them that "Independently wealthy" means no longer having to work for the man! Go in with a broad smile and enjoy it. Tell them that you do whatever you want every day.

[Ronstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnonEMouse Perhaps don't go?

That was my first thought, but then thought maybe I could deflect a lot of retirement talk by hanging with only retired people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcowan Or explain to them that "Independently wealthy" means no longer having to work for the man! Go in with a broad smile and enjoy it. Tell them that you do whatever you want every day.

I think I'll go with this when the subject comes up.

[Grabberson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronstar I have a class reunion coming up. I don’t want to deal with the retirement questions coming from that group...

Recommend you assert your status and feelings [mod edit]

[daylatedollarshort]

One thing I have noticed is that if people say something like I have a condo in Florida or I like to play tennis, other people will rarely say something rude in response like I never want to live in Florida or I hate tennis - it is so boring. Yet some people have responded to finding our we were retired with I never want to retire or I'd be so bored I don't know what I'd do all day. Really, you don't know what you'd do without your one hour commute each way to your cubicle and exciting career as a mortgage loan processor? I actually never say that, but I always think that. I just assume the defensive answer means they couldn't retire if they wanted to.

[Winemaker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronstar I have a class reunion coming up. I don’t want to deal with the retirement questions coming from that group. The friends and relatives questions have finally subsided after 4 years and now I have to endure another round.

I thoroughly enjoyed my 40th reunion humbly telling anybody who asked what I was doing with my life. The cost of the reunion the ticket was $35 each, but the look on their faces was priceless!

[Dtail]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort One thing I have noticed is that if people say something like I have a condo in Florida or I like to play tennis, other people will rarely say something rude in response like I never want to live in Florida or I hate tennis - it is so boring. Yet some people have responded to finding our we were retired with I never want to retire or I'd be so bored I don't know what I'd do all day. Really, you don't know what you'd do without your one hour commute each way to your cubicle and exciting career as a mortgage loan processor? I actually never say that, but I always think that. I just assume the defensive answer means they couldn't retire if they wanted to.

+1
lots of jealousy out there with minimal years of planning. I always lived below my means even though not a classic "LBYM".

[brett]

I believe that this business about being concerned or worried about what others will think of you is vastly overrated. Far too much conformity and social pressure is not a good thing.

[googily]

I already am dealing with a similar situation, even though I haven't retired yet, which is having become a widow at the young(?!?) age of 51. It's been over a year now, and I'm starting to get the first people brave enough to ask me what I am going to do with the rest of my life. (To which I have no answer, or at least not one that I'm telling any of them.)

So throwing ER into the mix is REALLY going to go over well! Especially because I'm sure people will think that in my grief I have made some ghastly terrible decision, when in fact DH and I would have been ER'ed by now if he hadn't gotten sick.

But having seen up close how quickly life can change, I really don't care what anyone thinks about how I am living mine. It's the only one I've got.

[WestUniversity]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ER Eddie I think most people just don't believe it can be done. They've gotten themselves too deep in debt, consumerism, lifestyle, and financial obligations. They can't possibly see themselves getting to the point of financial independence. So to them the idea seems "crazy." Or else, they're just responding out of a sense that you're not behaving like a normal person behaves, like Robbie said. And so it seems nuts to them.

Exactly. The old phrase comes to mind... "buying things they don't need with money they don't have to impress people they don't like..."

The concept of LBYM is lost on so many.

[Yarnstormer]

I wonder how many people here were motivated to retire because they had office jobs.
I work part time at home now and honestly, I could do this forever. I didn’t hate working, I hated sitting there and I hated the chain of command drunk with power nitwits in charge.
I know people that love working tho so clearly everyones experience is different.

[Huntnful]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yarnstormer I wonder how many people here were motivated to retire because they had office jobs. I work part time at home now and honestly, I could do this forever. I didn’t hate working, I hated sitting there and I hated the chain of command drunk with power nitwits in charge. I know people that love working tho so clearly everyones experience is different.

I can see you’re point of view. Working from home (without financial stress) is actually just my end goal. I love work. I just don’t want to do it on someone else’s terms for another 30 years. I’m a pipe welder making 180-200k a year with a company. I debated leaving, until I learned about FI and realized I could buckle down and save and invest for a few years and relieve myself of most financial burdens and truly just work for fun and my spending money. My end goal is to draw 50k a year from investments and make around 20k working for fun. We’ll see how it pans out!

[jollystomper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yarnstormer I wonder how many people here were motivated to retire because they had office jobs. I work part time at home now and honestly, I could do this forever. I didn’t hate working, I hated sitting there and I hated the chain of command drunk with power nitwits in charge. I know people that love working tho so clearly everyone's experience is different.

For me, working from home the last 2 years increased my desired to retire. Not having a daily commute made a HUGE difference for my sanity. However, being home more made it easier to have more time with DW, have more with my current hobbies, develop new ones, easier to see local friends... and it became an issue of "how do I really want to spend my time?"

[Teacher Terry]

I have worked p.t. from home the last 5 years and at 63 and have no intention of quitting. I teach an online college class that I can do anywhere with internet. It is great fun.