FIRE.128 Follow the Masses?

This post is all about how to increase the satisfaction in your days, and in your life.  If not satisfaction, then at least increase your optimization and decrease your level of annoyance.  Or is that just my strategy?

I constantly hear about “keeping up with the Joneses.”  I used to wonder who would spend their time wondering what other people were doing and most significantly, how the purchases of others would somehow affect me.

Do you keep score on the items of others in comparison to your own life (I mean possessions)?

[Insert thought}  I should say that I don’t use social media to view or highlight life (purchase) milestones.  I know I’m old, but I see those as a tool to share event/life happenings with “friends.”  I guess I’m the exact opposite of a social media influencer, whew, I’m damn happy about that.

Anyway, back to the masses.

So I was thinking about my LifeInFIRE.  I was thinking about the masses.  I was thinking about common daily activities and how I see those tasks/events.

  • So, one of the (pre-pandemic) dreaded daily activities was the rush hour traffic jam.  Thousands or millions of people/cars packed together at the same time, heading in the same direction, all for the same purpose—to clock in at work.  You are literally following the masses, car after car.  LifeInFIRE has the option of avoiding the highways at rush hour.  It’s mostly possible to perform daily tasks off-peak (Mon-Fri: 9a-3p)
  • Another example is the simple task of buying food.  I’ve seen the parking lots with cars swirling around at 5p.  If the parking lot looks like a hassle, I can’t imagine what the lines are like inside the grocery (food) store.    
  • What about the screaming media force-feeding us information?  This can be “news” delivered from all sides with overtly opinionated positions.  What are the masses following here?  What are the sources, not the outlets, but the source of the news?  Even worse, are the masses consuming just the (click-bait) headline and not reading the full story, or checking the facts, or other opinions…or even another of their social media sites.  I didn’t realize news could be delivered accurately in 140 characters.  Maybe that’s why it was doubled to allow for the full story?

What if the media—and Hollywood blockbuster movies for that matter—provided “good news” say just 65-75% of the time?  Why does the first few minutes of the news designed to agitate the viewers?  Is that to keep them tuned in?  Is that the click-bait of television?

Take a trip to ANY other country in the world and then decide how horrible you think our country is.  Yes, we do have some of the same problems as elsewhere, yet we seem to be much, much…MUCH better off than most of the world.  Seriously how many types of cereal do we need to choose from?  Or go to a mall, how many different shirt options are required for our attire?

Of course, we have problems and there is room for improvement.  I agree in many ways, with lots of room for improvement.  The good news is that we have options from education from our youngest years through our entire lifetimes.  We have options to build skills and abilities our entire lifetime.  We have the option to use this knowledge, skills, and abilities to generate income and stability…even though it may be hard at the time.  Life is hard, everything is hard, that why the word “perseverance” was created.

I believe in being positive and driving the change within yourself, your family, those around you, and helping others.  Maybe that’s the power of thinking differently and not (always) following the masses.

Maybe it’s time to follow the FIRE

Being different is a great thing if you are comfortable with yourself.  Being better than average and making things better is amazing.

Step out of the line and do something(s) good.  When you’re FIREd, you have a clear path ahead of you.

*** Nothing in this article is to be construed as financial advice.  I am not a financial planner, nor do I pretend to be.  You should always consult your own professional when seeking advice. This post is not a piece of literary mastery, just a random thought I had.

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