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You Contain Multitudes!
Joe Lilli
You wouldn’t believe the number of problems I’ve made go away with money.
Invisible forcefield, at one point in my life a flat tire could have meant not making rent that month and needing to take out a payday loan to avoid getting evicted. Now, it means I go to Bell Tire and get a new tire.
Or, you debate on which brand of new tire you want. You don’t even think about a used tire.
Not only “What kind of problems can touch me?” And “What kind of opportunities can i reach for?” But also “What laws can I ignore?” As they commonly say “punishable with a fine” means “legal for the rich.”
Publishable
@marcoaraiza9381 oops! I have to assume autocorrect and itchy trigger finger! Thanks. Will correct!
Never heard that before, so I appreciate you putting it out there. I have often thought about how unfair it is that $200 might be a drop in the bucket for a rich person, but mean a poor person can’t afford car repairs for the car they only have to get groceries and go to work, which could lead to credit card debt if they don’t have anyone to help them.
This!!! It’s hard for wealthier people to see it, since it is “invisible”.
I understood this when years ago you made an example saying that if your smartphone broke you could instantly replace it, and I never thought of it that way.
This is why it’s just mean to criticize poor people–when all you know is the daily grinding hellscape of living without money, crawling out of that isn’t even a consideration because you Don’t Know How. And in this country when you’re down you are kicked and kicked until you either decide you will sacrifice anything to stand up–which often leads to illegal means, or you get lucky.
not just mean, flat out ignorant and incorrect.
Very well said
YouTube has a jihad against links, so look up John Scalzi – Bring Poor
Ex.
Being poor is hoping the toothache goes away.
Being poor is needing that 35-cent raise.
Being poor is knowing how hard it is to stop being poor.
1000%. On the one hand, I’m very aware that if I have a sudden unexpected expense right now, I’d likely be able to cover it. On the other, I’m also very aware that it’s too great of a risk to attempt a sideways career move into a field I’m more interested in at my age because if I fail, I’m kind of screwed. I see peers leaving their jobs to become full-time artists or pursue a totally new field or going back to school and I can’t help but wonder whether it’s that their parents can still bail them out if needs be, or if they have a partner who makes enough bank to keep them comfortable while they find themselves.
Money is “Murphys Law” insurance. That gives peace in all things.
absolutely. even if you dont get handouts from your parents, even if you never need to ask for help, just having them as a safety net protects you from a lot of stress and worry and lets you take bigger risks, which means you’ll inevitably get richer than a poor person would
This is so true. Just knowing that if something goes wrong, you’ll be able to ask for a loan or your parents or other people will help you out when they can, makes it so much easier to live with less chronic stress.
Money buys opportunity and options. It reduces stress in this way for sure.
This is exactly why people that benefit from nepotism feel so defensive when others point out their privilege. They have no experience outside the invisible force field so it’s hard for them to be ‘accountable’ to what others are pointing out.
😔 👌
Great example
It’s like a good childhood vs severe childhood ptsd
People are going to hate on this comment but it’s so true… that’s the invisible force field babe .
My car got totaled. This would have been a big problem because I don’t have cash on hand for a new car. But because I could afford the good insurance, I was able to turn it around and get a new car woth almost nothing out of pocket.
I’m happy for you, and I hope that helps you to have empathy for people who can’t afford good insurance and wouldn’t have been okay in your situation.
This is so true, and it even extends to things like owning a house or owning a vehicle or whatever as well. If I need to get to a place in a short period of time, but I don’t have a car, I’ve either got to call and wait on a taxi or else take a bus, and I’m not gonna be able to get there nearly as fast or reliably as a person who owns a car. In that scenario, the car is essentially a form of wealth.
I feel this so hard because I spent some time living out of my car. I didn’t always have one and it takes a lot more planning ,time investment, to get anywhere. And if you do loose your house or apartment things are way rougher. Even if I moved somewhere I didn’t need it I really can’t see myself ever getting rid of my car. It’s my home more than anywhere else I’ve ever lived because it’s mine.
@izadeeg I can totally understand that. I went through a period of not even being able to drive, never mind owning a vehicle, and it was tough, but my city has now apparently been talking about getting rid of transit entirely in residential areas. It feels like they’re actual comic book villains by doing that. Most people cannot get taxis everywhere, and they’re not gonna be able to walk twenty minutes to get to a bus stop, if they even live that close to one.
Glasses.
From “I will need to start budgeting for my next script the minute the current script is on my face, and hope and pray I dont break them before I can afford to replace them” to “between insurance and employer assistance I can practically make money on getting glasses” to “Lasik sounds good, and I won’t need to worry about glasses for years.”
That’s so relatable. I’m currently hoping I don’t break mine before I can afford to replace them, but I’m happy for you. Hopefully someday I’ll get there too 🙂
Absolutely agree, when you are broke even healing from a broken heart takes longer…
One of the biggest changes for me was gas. I remember having to think: I have $10 and that’ll get me through until Friday when I get paid. Now, I just will fill the tank whenever I want and don’t even think about it.
right?😂
My girlfriend literally didn’t understand me when she said her car needed gas & I asked “do you want to fill it up all the way, or just a little?”
YES!!!!
It’s insane to me how now as an adult I can literally afford to FIX THINGS WHEN THEY BREAK!!!
One line that really stood out to me in the Korean film Parasite was “money irons out the wrinkles.” The concept of an invisible force field is even more powerful. 👏 👏 👏
As someone who grew up low middle class and through many years of hard work and luck found themselves as upper middle class (or better), the most important thing that money brings me is that I no longer have to deal with people I do not want to. I retired at 57, 8 years ago, and that has proved to be the ultimate blessing.