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Making 500-700k at a FAANG right now. Money certainly makes me worry less, not complaining. I still feel like a cog in a machine. If anything, it further iso

by nexus2045 2y ago

Making 500-700k at a FAANG right now. Money certainly makes me worry less, not complaining. I still feel like a cog in a machine. If anything, it further isolated all the problems in my life that money could never really solve. Meaningful friendships, dating, self-control and discipline, self-esteem. Before, I could go by telling myself the story that "if only I had X amount of income, I'd be happy". Now, I don't have that excuse any more. I stare at the mirror, still see the same person, and realize that no amount of money will help. A nice problem to have I guess, but problems that have plagued me my entire life.

_ah 2y ago
"You don't seem to realize that a poor person who is unhappy is in a better position than a rich person who is unhappy. Because the poor person has hope. He thinks money would help." -Jean Kerr
- BLanen 2y ago
  Complete anti-scientific hogwash only rich people would repeat, again.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
  - mvkel 2y ago
    There are more than a few studies behind it. Is that "scientific"? Remember that viral story about the guy who made the min salary in his company $70K? What did he base that number on, do you think? Separately, if someone said that your take is "complete anti-scientific hogwash only poor people would repeat," would you think their opinion valid?
    - deathanatos 2y ago
      … maybe cite them? While I could see a study that says being vastly wealthy doesn't lead to happiness, the kinda wealth gap being discussed here is "cannot easily afford a home" ($70k/y; max $1.7k/mo affordable) and "can trivially afford a home" ($500k/y–$700k/y; max $17.5k/mo affordable). (For reference, homes in my area are currently ~$4.8k/mo.)
      - mvkel 2y ago
        If happiness = owning a home, certainly. Here is the study by the late great Kahneman: Kahneman, D. & Deaton, A. (2010). High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1011492107 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1011492107 And a 2021 follow-up that addresses criticisms of the original (TLDR: if you were already happy, you get more happy > 75K. If you were unhappy, you don't get more happy > 75K.) Killingsworth, Kahneman, M.A. (2021). Experienced well-being rises with income, even above $75,000 per year. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2016976118 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2016976118 And the HN thread when the study first dropped: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1381927 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1381927
        mp05 2y ago
        The Daniel Kahneman? I didn't realize he was so prolific.
  - mp05 2y ago
    > anti-scientific What the hell does science have to do with this? Please stop conflating regression analysis of the results of a questionnaire with "science".
  - icedchai 2y ago
    There are plenty of studies showing a diminishing return in happiness / general satisfaction after a certain income threshold. You can look themselves up yourself.
  - BenjiWiebe 2y ago
    I agree with and appreciate that saying, while not being rich.
BLanen 2y ago
I don't care about your singular experience. I could send you paper and paper that wealth/income and stability increases happiness aggregated. I could send you papers that would show that sending people scientific proof doesn't convince people and that wouldn't convince you.
- JumpCrisscross 2y ago
  > I could send you paper and paper that wealth/income and stability increases happiness aggregated Nobody disputed that. You made a statement about "something only someone with a high income would say." That's drawing the generality to a specific. It would be like concluding from the fact that most dogs are black, brown and white, that every dog is black, brown or white. In this case, it could absolutely be the case that the factors that cause money to turn into happiness are not present among FAANG employees to a greater degree than population.
necheffa 2y ago
Is the plan then to retire fairly early and focus on people stuff and hobbies?
- mvkel 2y ago
  If they leave you fulfilled via purpose...
sojournerc 2y ago
Make a change, it's never too late. And you certainly have the means

_ah 2y ago

"You don't seem to realize that a poor person who is unhappy is in a better position than a rich person who is unhappy. Because the poor person has hope. He thinks money would help." -Jean Kerr

BLanen 2y ago
Complete anti-scientific hogwash only rich people would repeat, again.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- mvkel 2y ago
  There are more than a few studies behind it. Is that "scientific"? Remember that viral story about the guy who made the min salary in his company $70K? What did he base that number on, do you think? Separately, if someone said that your take is "complete anti-scientific hogwash only poor people would repeat," would you think their opinion valid?
  - deathanatos 2y ago
    … maybe cite them? While I could see a study that says being vastly wealthy doesn't lead to happiness, the kinda wealth gap being discussed here is "cannot easily afford a home" ($70k/y; max $1.7k/mo affordable) and "can trivially afford a home" ($500k/y–$700k/y; max $17.5k/mo affordable). (For reference, homes in my area are currently ~$4.8k/mo.)
    - mvkel 2y ago
      If happiness = owning a home, certainly. Here is the study by the late great Kahneman: Kahneman, D. & Deaton, A. (2010). High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1011492107 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1011492107 And a 2021 follow-up that addresses criticisms of the original (TLDR: if you were already happy, you get more happy > 75K. If you were unhappy, you don't get more happy > 75K.) Killingsworth, Kahneman, M.A. (2021). Experienced well-being rises with income, even above $75,000 per year. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2016976118 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2016976118 And the HN thread when the study first dropped: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1381927 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1381927
      - mp05 2y ago
        The Daniel Kahneman? I didn't realize he was so prolific.
- mp05 2y ago
  > anti-scientific What the hell does science have to do with this? Please stop conflating regression analysis of the results of a questionnaire with "science".
- icedchai 2y ago
  There are plenty of studies showing a diminishing return in happiness / general satisfaction after a certain income threshold. You can look themselves up yourself.
- BenjiWiebe 2y ago
  I agree with and appreciate that saying, while not being rich.

BLanen 2y ago

I don't care about your singular experience. I could send you paper and paper that wealth/income and stability increases happiness aggregated. I could send you papers that would show that sending people scientific proof doesn't convince people and that wouldn't convince you.

JumpCrisscross 2y ago
> I could send you paper and paper that wealth/income and stability increases happiness aggregated Nobody disputed that. You made a statement about "something only someone with a high income would say." That's drawing the generality to a specific. It would be like concluding from the fact that most dogs are black, brown and white, that every dog is black, brown or white. In this case, it could absolutely be the case that the factors that cause money to turn into happiness are not present among FAANG employees to a greater degree than population.

necheffa 2y ago

Is the plan then to retire fairly early and focus on people stuff and hobbies?

mvkel 2y ago
If they leave you fulfilled via purpose...

sojournerc 2y ago

Make a change, it's never too late. And you certainly have the means