conflict

 It’s always been a conflict. My life. Always stuck between the obedient, clean, well-behaved boy and the anti-establishment punk rocker who wants to see a change to the world order. These days, I still listen to punk rock, grindcore, and death metal, along with country, pop, rock, hip hop and a wide variety of music forms. I still read literature written by dreamers and poets and drunks and drug addicts. I live in a relatively small and scruffy apartment. And… I invest in companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon, and a host of index funds. I save conscientiously, and I keep a budget to track all of my expenses. 

If you want to save money… don’t get married… don’t buy a house… don’t have children. It’s dramatic, yes, but it is true. If you feel that you must do those things, and even if you don’t, stop dreaming about extravagant meals in fancy rooftop restaurants in Paris and New York. It’s not always about earning more money, demanding a raise, complaining that you don’t earn enough. The biggest increase you can earn is to lower your cost of living and to live within your means. Stop thinking like a poor person… bending over and giving all of your time away. Educate yourself, improve your skills, take responsibility, and ask how you can contribute more meaningfully to the world around you. 



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