Suze Orman – A Wet Blanket on FIRE

[marko]

I know that in Paris asking 'where do you live?' is considered rude because one can infer your income from the neighborhood.

Having said that I must say that after 48 posts I'm still a bit amazed at folks who find saying that they're retired is awkward. I'm sure it's just me.

I'm not saying that you should shout "I made millions and live off my investments", but lots of folks retire early on military, gov't pensions and so on; it doesn't imply anything.

Lots of people worked, scrimped and saved in order to be FI and I find it interesting that it's become something people are almost ashamed of. I would think if someone said: "I was lucky and got out early!" most folks would say 'good for you!'. Again, it might just be me. YMMV

 

[Milton]

I'm still a bit amazed at folks who find saying that they're retired is awkward....

Lots of people worked, scrimped and saved in order to be FI and I find it interesting that it's become something people are almost ashamed of.

Perhaps (?) people who find such discussions awkward are not particularly ashamed of their ER status, they just don't wish to appear boastful. I agree with you that it doesn't have to be that way.

I would think if someone said: "I was lucky and got out early!" most folks would say 'good for you!'

Cf. Ted Kennedy's encounter with the factory worker.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Perhaps (?) people who find such discussions awkward are not particularly ashamed of their ER status, they just don't wish to appear boastful. I agree with you that it doesn't have to be that way.

See here.

This...x1000.

 

[Milton]

I changed the reference because as I originally heard the story it was about Ted Kennedy at a factory rather than JFK at a coal mine. Perhaps it is apocryphal and never happened to either one! Still makes a valid point, though.

 

[Milton]

I also know a retired chiropractor who insists on being called Doctor at all times, even by waiters & waitresses...….I don't go fishing with him.

What a pretentious fool.

Speaking of chiropractors, this newspaper article was published today.

I got my doctorate in Chemistry and when people ask what I do I tell them I bake.

I thought the technical term was "cook"?

 

[HI Bill]

I thought the technical term was "cook"?

The following was the first result in my Wikipedia search:

"Baking is a method of cooking food that uses prolonged dry heat, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread but many other types of foods are baked."

 

[joel2125]

Not to burst anyone's bubble, but nobody really cared that much about your identity when you were working.

If you need a job title or profession identity to get someone's respect, something is missing with either you or the people you're trying to impress.

+1

 

[bada bing]

lol, I got my doctorate in Chemistry and when people ask what I do I tell them I bake.

I've worked for various big oil outfits for 30 years. When strangers ask me what I do or I list my profession on documents, I put down "self employed commercial fisherman", which isn't exactly a lie. I have made at least a little money and payed taxes every year since age 14 catching fish. In my mind it doesn't matter that fishing income is swamped 15:1 by W2 wages from the corporate "man". I am still a free spirit fisherman in my mind, not just some wage slave.