Thank you, Chris, as always your insights are appreciated.
And if I may digress: it's my understanding that Colbert's contract expired in 2026 anyway. He'd renewed for one more year. I've felt his courage to call out Paramount was based on the fact that he has other outlets for his wit and talents. He has a podcast, youtube, he's written books. He's been seeding the ground for his departure for some time. Turning the Colbert situation into another political football is a distraction IMHO. Late night TV is going the way of the dinosaurs. That Trumpers think they've "owned the libs" by cancelling the Colbert show are grasping at straws. And it would seem they need all the straws they can grasp this week!
Your account of owning/living/facing your fear of losing the comfort/ease and privileges of whatever your financial status quo had been was wonderfully direct and cut to the bone of our current condition. Most of us have lived lives of relative comfort; courtesy of improved technology, stable incomes and predictability of our economy. Yet, when we think about it, we have known that we are on thin and vulnerable ice...and dread learning how we'd manage if the ice really cracked. To discover what really makes for survival and our ability to still enjoy meaningful living...more simply and with less...is a true gift. You gave yourself that gift, as we all could do...and be much more free to pursue deeper meaning, free of financial fear. Most of us can remember being OK while living with far less when we were young...and even enjoyed the making-do creativity we shared with others then. There's no reason we still don't have those skills. They just need some practice, again. Interesting that Trump's tool for intimidation is to threaten or take away financial stability. Will we discover that there's more to it than money, even as we fight the mean tunnel vision of "money as the measure of everything" value system of corporate power in capitalist America?
I agree! But for those born into wealthy families, it may be difficult to change, as they’ve never experienced hardship. I feel sorry for their inability to appreciate the little things in life.
I grew up poor. Sure, I was envious of the rich kids who wore nicer clothes, got brand new cars at graduation and college tuition paid for by mom and dad. But what I learned from poverty was the priceless lessons:
“Nothing worth having ever comes easy”, and “True wealth isn’t defined by what you have, but by what you give.”
Through hard work, resilience and self-taught money management, I’ve learned not just how to appreciate accomplishment, but also how not to lose the appreciation for the simple, free joys of life that I grew up with and surround me every day. If I had to do it over, I wouldn’t change a thing.
I love this story of practicing one's fears. I think it has a lot of applications, with finances probably top of mind for many people. There's also the economic (and many other) effects of climate change - like how it will affect the food system and the availability of many things we take for granted, including water, fuel, and so on. The idea that I could help make myself/household stronger and more resilient, by experimenting with a week of doing with less, strikes me as practical and actually restorative of a kind of integrity.
What an excellent idea, Chris. And I’ll bet you and your son enjoyed the added benefit of sharing quality time together without the usual distractions of everyday life.
Thank you, Chris, as always your insights are appreciated.
And if I may digress: it's my understanding that Colbert's contract expired in 2026 anyway. He'd renewed for one more year. I've felt his courage to call out Paramount was based on the fact that he has other outlets for his wit and talents. He has a podcast, youtube, he's written books. He's been seeding the ground for his departure for some time. Turning the Colbert situation into another political football is a distraction IMHO. Late night TV is going the way of the dinosaurs. That Trumpers think they've "owned the libs" by cancelling the Colbert show are grasping at straws. And it would seem they need all the straws they can grasp this week!
You know that trump’s going to say he had a hand in it. That narcissist always claims credit where none is due.
Your account of owning/living/facing your fear of losing the comfort/ease and privileges of whatever your financial status quo had been was wonderfully direct and cut to the bone of our current condition. Most of us have lived lives of relative comfort; courtesy of improved technology, stable incomes and predictability of our economy. Yet, when we think about it, we have known that we are on thin and vulnerable ice...and dread learning how we'd manage if the ice really cracked. To discover what really makes for survival and our ability to still enjoy meaningful living...more simply and with less...is a true gift. You gave yourself that gift, as we all could do...and be much more free to pursue deeper meaning, free of financial fear. Most of us can remember being OK while living with far less when we were young...and even enjoyed the making-do creativity we shared with others then. There's no reason we still don't have those skills. They just need some practice, again. Interesting that Trump's tool for intimidation is to threaten or take away financial stability. Will we discover that there's more to it than money, even as we fight the mean tunnel vision of "money as the measure of everything" value system of corporate power in capitalist America?
I agree! But for those born into wealthy families, it may be difficult to change, as they’ve never experienced hardship. I feel sorry for their inability to appreciate the little things in life.
I grew up poor. Sure, I was envious of the rich kids who wore nicer clothes, got brand new cars at graduation and college tuition paid for by mom and dad. But what I learned from poverty was the priceless lessons:
“Nothing worth having ever comes easy”, and “True wealth isn’t defined by what you have, but by what you give.”
Through hard work, resilience and self-taught money management, I’ve learned not just how to appreciate accomplishment, but also how not to lose the appreciation for the simple, free joys of life that I grew up with and surround me every day. If I had to do it over, I wouldn’t change a thing.
I haven't heard it phrased this way before. Your article on practicing one's fears is inspiring and comforting. Thank you!
I love this story of practicing one's fears. I think it has a lot of applications, with finances probably top of mind for many people. There's also the economic (and many other) effects of climate change - like how it will affect the food system and the availability of many things we take for granted, including water, fuel, and so on. The idea that I could help make myself/household stronger and more resilient, by experimenting with a week of doing with less, strikes me as practical and actually restorative of a kind of integrity.
Yes! And a whittling down to the realization of your core values.
Love it.
What an excellent idea, Chris. And I’ll bet you and your son enjoyed the added benefit of sharing quality time together without the usual distractions of everyday life.
Voluntary Simplicity at its best!