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Comment by pixel3234 | Hacker News Reader

> freedom money can buy as it relates to your work.

> power of money resides in its ability to provide a better life for our families.

I really hate this mentality, it sees money as power to buy freedom and eventually to "buy family".

For me the key is to minimize expenses to some reasonable minimum. It does not matter how much I make, it does not affect my lifestyle much. Maybe I would buy a nicer laptop. I gave up on being slave to money long time ago.

That includes being a slave to family! I am open to serious relationship, but most people think I am cheap bum. I have no reason to change their opinions!

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I don't see so much disagreement. You still "bought freedom" by reducing your expenses past the point where you're precarious financially.

> It does not matter how much I make, it does not affect my lifestyle much.

One fifth your current level? One tenth? One hundredth?

Or, if living mostly off of savings... well, that's even more explicitly having used money to "buy freedom".

Look into article, it is all Phase 1, Phase 2.... like an elevator. And absolute top is helping community like proper tradcon. It does not even count with possibility, that people do not really care about such things. There is no basic reasoning about "should we do it"? Usual endgame is to settle down with bad partner.

I like hiking and traveling. I am always in climate that has nice temperatures, usually near sea. Sometimes I sleep on beach, sometimes in hotel. All via super cheap deals (you get very good at that over time).

If I would have less money, I would probably live healthier lifestyle. I would cut alcohol and meat, eat more veggies. I would also take long term lease, make some friends, that is another win for mental health.

Had to look up "tradcon". Sounds pejorative. "...but should we?" is a good question, I agree. You mention that people _assume_ "building community" is a good thing we should do, and that you are unconvinced that people really care about such things.

You end your paragraph suggesting that longer term lease (a more stable physical location) + make some friends = win for mental health. This would be my basic description of building community. What do you think?

> paragraph suggesting that longer term lease

Changing locations every few weeks wears you down, some recovery is needed.. And "making some friends" is an euphemism for mating if you have to know, very hard to get quality stuff if you are just passing through.

I get the whole "building community", some people are really into it, but some others are not!

Well it seems like you do agree that there is value in building a community and even stability. It's not that you refute the value, you just don't want it forced down everyone's throats as some self-righteous ideal and measure of a man. I agree with that.

edit to add: re: "...very hard to get quality stuff" lol yeah that's funny, I came back to this because "the good stuff" in my experience has to do with intimacy, and that takes some kind of earned connection over time, I don't want to make any moral argument, connections can come in various ways, who am I to say. So purely observational, interesting to think about the idea of quality (physical) connections whether there is some necessity for more "tradcon" concepts as you mention.

If you're in a position of saying "if I had less money [...] I'd take a long term lease" you already pretty far on the "buy freedom with money" ladder compared to a lot of people. (Or underestimating the difficulty in many places of getting a long term lease without having much money or steady employment without sacrificing some of your other things like nice climate.)

You just did a different thing with your freedom. So the part of the mentality you just hate is that "once you have freedom you can provide for your family"?

I am doing pretty well (crypto). But "long term lease" would be like $300/month condo near beach, tourist resorts are pretty cheap out of main season.

Where?

Your position seems a little hypocritical? Your life style wouldn't be possible without other people valuing community - nothing wrong with it or for pointing out other ways of living, but you are coming off as kind of hostile towards a structure you depend on and it bothers me.

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