Round 1 - The Rookie – steps up to the ring – what is he letting himself in for?
The purpose of this post is to consider the "standard" middle class mindset and why financial independence is a lost cause for the majority because of their habits. Yes it is generalised and a bit stereotyped. What is interesting is standing back and having a think about how silly some of it is?
A quick generalization of middle class life (And CONTENDER mistakes)
Early Years (Creche)
Both adult's work to pay the bills (fairly new
phenomenon). Stressed, extremely busy ever wonder why? The government needs its
workers to pay the taxes for its largess (they know how to spend our money……).
So baby is placed in care of a creche looked after on an initial 1:3 then 1:6
ratio of career to child relationship instead of a 1:1 relationship with a parent or
grandparents. Generally parents had to move away from home to get a “good” job so grandparents and children miss out. “Love\Care" provided by someone else other than the parents. The child is already being indoctrinated into the
system.
THE.CONTENDER was fortunate to be brought up by his mother however we had handed over our first child to the creche at 9 months old - were we doing the right thing?
THE.CONTENDER was fortunate to be brought up by his mother however we had handed over our first child to the creche at 9 months old - were we doing the right thing?
Early Years Education (Primary School)
Take a group of children that are all the same age place them in a room doing the
same activities. (good that they are getting the basics but are we helping the next Einstein?)
How Children Fail - John Holt
THE.CONTENDER cannot remember much about early years education only that I moved countries and fitting in was a big challenge for me. I was sport mad learned how to read and write (badly!). Generally spent my time kicking a ball around and messing around on my commodore 64 personal computer - cool new gadget.
Mid Years Education (Secondary School)
Now lets place the same group in a room for an hour to absorb information and learn how to regurgitate. Ring a bell then move
into another room and repeat. No time provided to actually learn, master and question the subject but perfect for obedience to the bell.
How Children Learn - John Holt
How Children Learn - John Holt
University Years
Now we have them in the system and are carefully crafting them into the perfect corporate employee: Obedient worker bees who do not question what they are doing but are excellent at repetitive complex work.
Let's now get them in debt up to their eyeballs. Easy credit and student loans - don't worry you will be a CEO before you know it on millions per year.
Let's now get them in debt up to their eyeballs. Easy credit and student loans - don't worry you will be a CEO before you know it on millions per year.
Early work years
Now I have managed to get a job working on the corporate ladder. 80+ hour weeks. Out of hours time is spent reading management books \ material trying to work out how to get promoted quickly and that pay rise you dearly need. You learn all about on self-promotion and learning whose arse to kiss.
Purchase a new car (on credit), bachelor pad, expensive suits before you know it the large student debt has exploded.…. But all is fine I will be a vice president on big $$$$ in no time what so ever.
You are now fully into consumerism. You are bombarded with the message that consumers are doing this buying that - everyone is a consumer, you are part of the crowd, do your part for the economy. To get through the day you need your frothy fatty coffee in the morning, entertainment in the evening with cinema passes. All planned on an expensive mobile organizer with lots of free minutes and free data on your mega $$$ plan each month. To relax you need expensive holiday to the Maldives.
Add in special occasions - stag weeks away, weddings, Mother’s and Father’s Days, Halloween, Christmas, birthdays etc… Spend Spend Spend. Hang on a minute why wont my salary cover all of this? What is this saving the old folks talk about? No one in education and close friends ever talk about saving and how to pay for all of this. For some reason talking about income and how you pay for things are TABOO!
After swift right to the head and a jab to the ribs you realise you are on the hook to the BANK!
THE.CONTENDER straight out of university got his first job. I needed a car and the bank was offering a "cheap" graduate loan that was a "once in a life" time opportunity! £12K in new debt added. Anyway THE.CONTENDER had a new job. THE.CONTENDER was going to be rapidly promoted in to pay for it - sucker. THE.CONTENDER was part of the herd, a good little consumer and debtor. I was still having a great party time though.
Mid work years and mid-life crisis
Where is that illusive promotion to be a manager wait a bit
then a bit more – company is re-structuring so wait a bit longer and work
harder and longer to be noticed. FINALLY GOT IT - WON ROUND 1!
Promoted – new car, larger house – where did all that extra income go? What do I have now – subordinates (you are still one). How to control them to do the bidding of the corporation? You have to work even harder on your influencing skills and subordinate performance appraisals. At the same time you must keep them in check and wave the carrot – one day you can be like me (overworked for little more pay).
Work harder to that retirement age - but if you stop you wont belong anymore work longer it is fulfilling.
THE.CONTENDER met his wife to be changed to a new more demanding job and moved to London. This is where we started to wonder what life was all about. Car loan and student loan paid off and saving (after 5 years of work) started for the wedding.
Quotes for the wedding were anything up to £20K, that sucked. 5 years to pay off around £20K in student debt and a car loan and were were with the help of the family going to spend all that money on ONE day! We asked ourselves what the **** were we doing and where were we going........our wedding costs were dramatically scaled back (number of guests) then a child was on the way.
Changing course
Is this really the best we could come up with after thousands of years of human endeavor?
We churn out bright, eager adults from the education system. They know how to churn out facts and figures but have no idea of how to work it out from scratch. We place them in work cubicles and get them to do repetitive tasks all day long over and over. Stay there until you get your gold (plated) watch and retire elegantly to the retirement home.
- Why are we not financially educated?
- Why is education curricula set for us and we are not taught how to learn but how to remember and regurgitate facts, forget and repeat?
- Why do we need to get on the housing ladder a long way from work?
- Why do we "need" to pay for entertainment
- Why do we need to keep up with the Joneses?
- What really makes you happy?
People are naturally passionate so why are most people unable to work on what they REALLY love and care for? What if everyone could do what they want withing the right set of values? What is these values are for are a happier life and a clean healthy environment? Should these values be re-enforced if society had some lofty goals such as zero poverty, man on Mars, clean renewable energy and zero environmental footprint goods. Surely we would have a happier society which is significantly more innovative fostering all of the entrepreneurs and companies of the future?
Next post THE.CONTENDER learning the hard way, falling for the control trap (being part of the debtor herd) and what changed our course for the better.
Happiness and Fulfillment,
THE.CONTENDER
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Are you planning for financial independence and wondering what to do with it. If so is any of the content on this blog of use to you? I would appreciate any comments you have. All the best C