Thought Experiment: WWYD in Your Post Powerball Euphoria?

[MJ DeMarco]

I would donate money and time to The Venus Project. The Venus Project is a direct antithesis to what entrepreneurship and this forum is about but I do believe that one day capitalism will become a part of history. Go ahead, I'll wait, and expect some push back against this idea.

<OFFTOPIC>

Here I'll give you some, but nothing too zingy. IMO, the Venus Project is a idealistic communist fairy tale rooted in good intentions. And yes, I'm very familiar with Zeitgeist and Jacque Fresco. (Funny, Fresco never addressed this in his docuseries, but only used ad-hominem [made fun of people] who claimed it -- a cop out to avoid the debating the argument.)

When implemented in a vacuum, his ideas sound reasonable, even plausible -- unfortunately they'll be implemented by humans. And just like religion, anything touched by humans becomes corrupt and unjust by those seeking power and control.

Your other assumptions though, are spot on.

People are waking up to the systemic economic slavery imbued within the world -- hence why minimalism, tiny houses, and Marxist movements are gaining more notoriety.

Capitalism will indeed need substantial tweaking to these shifts.

Just like in Star Trek TNG.

I love TNG, seen every episode multiple times. But even there, there are power structures aimed at control and conformity. Why does Picard get to be captain while Crewman Yang is subjected to scrubbing the dilithium chamber?

While TNG represents a socialist Utopia, humans still vie for power and still vie for greater egoistic positions of authority.

Humans are selfish (and many others corrupt) which is why these idealistic systems never work, and they never will. They're pseudo-religions.


</OFFTOPIC>

 

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[Suzanne Bazemore]

Why does Picard get to be captain while Crewman Yang is subjected to scrubbing the dilithium chamber?

Very true - I sure don't want to be the one scrubbing the dilithium chamber.

 

[Pete R]

Interesting thought experiment...

Assume you won $1,000,000,000 (1 Billion!) in the Powerball.

What would you do in your post Powerball euphoria?

I'm talking about your daily day AFTER you reveled for a couple of years in riches...

I'm talking about AFTER you bought 10 exotic cars and drove them to death...
I'm talking about AFTER you traveled the world and saw everything to see...
I'm talking about AFTER you bought the dream houses speckled about the world...
I'm talking about AFTER you went on a video game binge...
I'm talking about AFTER you took care of your family...
I'm talking about AFTER you spent the last X years living large, spending, traveling, etc...

Now that you've experience EVERYTHING you've ever wanted...

WHAT WOULD YOU DO NOW?

I mentioned this little exercise in Unscripted and I ask it not because I'd like to entertain the mental masturbation of it all, I ask it because it gives a little INSIGHT into your meaning and purpose.

If money was no object, would would bring the most meaning to your life?

For instance, my answer to this question would be probably something relating to animals; a dog rescue or some kind of massive animal shelter.

Your answer might NOT be altruistic.

You might respond with, "I'm going to become the best Nascar driver on the planet" and that's OK.

Anyhow, I'm curious to what people value on a macroeconomic level -- after all your hedonistic/materialistic experiences have been met, what's next?

How will you spend your life?

Fund libertarian leaning candidates in local elections around the States.

Get the band back together.

 

[Tommo]

I

That's actually a really good idea if you live in the right area.

I do. I have other plans and will stay monogamous till I have the resources. A Powerball win isn't necessary and the Boss agrees. Not a promise though ok?

 

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[Tommo]

<OFFTOPIC>

Here I'll give you some, but nothing too zingy. IMO, the Venus Project is a idealistic communist fairy tale rooted in good intentions. And yes, I'm very familiar with Zeitgeist and Jacque Fresco. (Funny, Fresco never addressed this in his docuseries, but only used ad-hominem [made fun of people] who claimed it -- a cop out to avoid the debating the argument.)

When implemented in a vacuum, his ideas sound reasonable, even plausible -- unfortunately they'll be implemented by humans. And just like religion, anything touched by humans becomes corrupt and unjust by those seeking power and control.

Your other assumptions though, are spot on.

People are waking up to the systemic economic slavery imbued within the world -- hence why minimalism, tiny houses, and Marxist movements are gaining more notoriety.

Capitalism will indeed need substantial tweaking to these shifts.



I love TNG, seen every episode multiple times. But even there, there are power structures aimed at control and conformity. Why does Picard get to be captain while Crewman Yang is subjected to scrubbing the dilithium chamber?

While TNG represents a socialist Utopia, humans still vie for power and still vie for greater egoistic positions of authority.

Humans are selfish (and many others corrupt) which is why these idealistic systems never work, and they never will. They're pseudo-religions.


</OFFTOPIC>

Tweak Capitalism, I'll work on it , but Implementing the real system, not the crony one is the big question, which leads me back to my main anthem of libertarianism with a small l. Not exactly political so hope mods ok

 

[Roli]

I love TNG, seen every episode multiple times.

Reason No. 476 to love @MJ DeMarco

Why does Picard get to be captain while Crewman Yang is subjected to scrubbing the dilithium chamber?

Because it's good honest work, and I have it on good authority that Picard started down there. However in his day they weren't so hot on containing the leaks from the eddy currents created by the crystals, which is why the captain's bald!

Not to take it too off topic, but do you read sci-fi as well MJ? Perchance are you an Iain M. Banks fan?

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Not to take it too off topic, but do you read sci-fi as well MJ? Perchance are you an Iain M. Banks fan?

I haven't read much sci-fi, but I tend to gravitate to science and space related things.

Because it's good honest work, and I have it on good authority that Picard started down there. However in his day they weren't so hot on containing the leaks from the eddy currents created by the crystals, which is why the captain's bald!

But Picard didn't start there. I'm just saying in this idealistic fantasy world where "everyone is equal" and gets what they need and want based on a resource economy, no one would be doing anything. Why should Crewman Yang denigrate himself and scrub the dilithium chamber? Why would Ensign Black go to school for 15 years to study astrobiology, and then work X hours a week as a doctor when he can just do nothing, play video games, and live and eat just as luxuriously as the most esteemed and accomplished?

 

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[ZCP]

It’s not harsh. I choose to do other things instead at the moment.

Andy changes lives every day. Aspire to be Andy.

 

[Never1]

I’d become a VC, mentor, philanthropist, and also continue to build my business(s) and develop my ideas to improve aspects of our world that need fixing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Andy Black]

Andy changes lives every day. Aspire to be Andy.

Thanks @ZCP

I try to help a person a day. In forums, Facebook groups, and on Skype calls.

I probably should focus a bit more on putting my own oxygen mask on...

 

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[ZCP]

Thanks @ZCP
I try to help a person a day. In forums, Facebook groups, and on Skype calls.
I probably should focus a bit more on putting my own oxygen mask on...

Maybe on getting an auditorium listening.
Now you just need to expand your business to the point where you have an auditorium.

 

[JG17]

To continue from my older post I also think I'd buy multiple massive ships and send them straight over to spend all day every day clearing the oceans of plastic, shipping it to a new port I've built that transports and sells the plastic to recycling centres. Selling the plastic would mitigate the costs of running the ships (to what extent I have no idea, but what do I care I'm disgustingly rich). Queen Elizabeth would give me a Knighthood for services to the environment and then I'd really have made it.

 

[Roli]

I'm just saying in this idealistic fantasy world where "everyone is equal" and gets what they need and want based on a resource economy, no one would be doing anything.

I think that would be true for a lot of people, however not for all...

I mean, if I may be so bold, you don't need to do anything, however you do. It's not like this forum, or I'm sure a lot of your activities significantly add to your net worth.

You do it for fulfilment, you do it because you're human and you need some kind of focus in your life. It's why a lot of lottery winners end up returning to work.

I choose to live a focused life, because it's the best one there is.

- Deep Work

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I think that would be true for a lot of people, however not for all...

I mean, if I may be so bold, you don't need to do anything, however you do. It's not like this forum, or I'm sure a lot of your activities significantly add to your net worth.

You do it for fulfilment, you do it because you're human and you need some kind of focus in your life. It's why a lot of lottery winners end up returning to work.

But you didn't address the crux of the problem, who is scrubbing the dilithium chamber?

Who's unclogging the toilet filled with shit and wiping down the shit-soiled toilet rim?

Is anyone going to do that because they want to be busy?

Because it's a part of their purpose and self-worth?

Nope.

 

[Roli]

But you didn't address the crux of the problem, who is scrubbing the dilithium chamber?

Who's unclogging the toilet filled with sh*t and wiping down the sh*t-soiled toilet rim?

Machines, wonderful machines. I'm going fully Utopian here.

But yes of course, until those machines are invented, any chance of such a society is slim to none.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Just like in Star Trek TNG.
Let's just hope that it's a positive evolution and not a forced return to simplicity.

Just like MJ. I have seen all of TNG & DS9.... But!

"…give [man] economic prosperity, such that he should have nothing else to do but sleep, eat cakes and busy himself with the continuation of his species, and even then out of sheer ingratitude, sheer spite, man would play you some nasty trick. He would even risk his cakes and would deliberately desire the most fatal rubbish, the most uneconomical absurdity, simply to introduce into all this positive good sense his fatal fantastic element. lt is just his fantastic dreams, his vulgar folly that he will desire to retain, simply in order to prove to himself […] that men still are men and not the keys of a piano, which the laws of nature threaten to control so completely that soon one will be able to desire nothing but by the calendar. And that is not all: even if man really were nothing but a piano-key, even if this were proved to him by natural science and mathematics, even then he would not become reasonable, but would purposely do something perverse out of simple ingratitude, simply to gain his point."
Note from the Underground.

 

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[Determined2012]

I will create 24 hour day care facilities for all the single parents who need something like this because they work shift work and or erratic on call jobs and they don't have support of family or friends to help with children so they can get to work, or even if they want to send them so they can have a few hours to themselves for mental health day, etc.

I will also create housing facilities for homeless veterans and sick/ill veterans.

Lastly I would create a program that would provide some sort of financial supplement to baby boomers who do not have family contributions or pensions to help them maintain their freedom and independent living status, as well as something to help them with their medical expenses as they age and have to come out of the work force.

Basically I would spend my time trying to help others have a better quality of life, less worry and burden about primary things they need to live and sustain themselves.

 

[FinTech]

I would find a market that has high barriers to entry and then buy all the players in it and have a monopoly in a niche that isn't sexy and no one cares about but I would dominate it. Try to stay under the radar. I would try to generate another billion in 5 years from these companies and find another niche to dominate... or market to corner.

 

[MTF]

Everyone should ask themselves this question regularly and actually try doing these things on a smaller scale because once you get to "the other side" (you're financially independent), you'll quickly go crazy struggling with a feeling of senselessness, no mission in life, feeling like nothing matters or realizing that you don't really care about what you thought you'd do after hitting financial freedom.

I think this topic is rarely talked about, but it's a very difficult problem and no, you probably won't be the exception - you'll start questioning everything once money stops being your first preoccupation and very few people will understand it.

 

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[GregDott]

Everyone should ask themselves this question regularly and actually try doing these things on a smaller scale because once you get to "the other side" (you're financially independent), you'll quickly go crazy struggling with a feeling of senselessness, no mission in life, feeling like nothing matters or realizing that you don't really care about what you thought you'd do after hitting financial freedom.

I think this topic is rarely talked about, but it's a very difficult problem and no, you probably won't be the exception - you'll start questioning everything once money stops being your first preoccupation and very few people will understand it.

I agree man. The way a similar thought occurred to me was in thinking, what if I just die tomorrow? Would I be happy having spent all my time only working towards financial freedom and not engaging in the the things that give me meaning?

 

[Nekoemon]

For instance, my answer to this question would be probably something relating to animals; a dog rescue or some kind of massive animal shelter.

I'm glad to read your answer since it's also the first thought that came to my mind as I was reading your question. Shelters for all animals, increasing the means of controlling how animals are treated (private homes and public places), how to detect mistreatments, educate people to respect and understand animals, create a special police to protect animals, develop alternative ways to research on medicine without using animals, and so on. My money would be used for these purposes. (and still my hedonistic needs, of course.

 

[WildHoneyTree]

I would establish a "Tesla eco-village" testing all sorts of green tech, growing healthy food and invite people who want to follow their creative passions to the max from a Dr Strange type set up with people learning/teaching super mind powers, natural healing techniques to artists, scientists, yogis, shamans, philosophers, animal whisperers, plant whisperers etc. Living the dream together and enjoying each others genius and innovations and seeing what the full human potential is when we don't have to fight each other for survival or be under a control system and hierarchy.

 

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[WildHoneyTree]

Start a Vegan Fast food chain.

Before vegan was a thing....there were these falafel and hummus fast food stalls all over Germany and France...mmm...heaven

 

[Tommo]

Before vegan was a thing....there were these falafel and hummus fast food stalls all over Germany and France...mmm...heaven

I never saw anything healthy in an Imbiss lol Didn't spot any hummus/falafel places but sounds great.

 

[Timmy C]

Interesting thought experiment...

Assume you won $1,000,000,000 (1 Billion!) in the Powerball.

What would you do in your post Powerball euphoria?

I'm talking about your daily day AFTER you reveled for a couple of years in riches...

I'm talking about AFTER you bought 10 exotic cars and drove them to death...
I'm talking about AFTER you traveled the world and saw everything to see...
I'm talking about AFTER you bought the dream houses speckled about the world...
I'm talking about AFTER you went on a video game binge...
I'm talking about AFTER you took care of your family...
I'm talking about AFTER you spent the last X years living large, spending, traveling, etc...

Now that you've experience EVERYTHING you've ever wanted...

WHAT WOULD YOU DO NOW?

I mentioned this little exercise in Unscripted and I ask it not because I'd like to entertain the mental masturbation of it all, I ask it because it gives a little INSIGHT into your meaning and purpose.

If money was no object, would would bring the most meaning to your life?

For instance, my answer to this question would be probably something relating to animals; a dog rescue or some kind of massive animal shelter.

Your answer might NOT be altruistic.

You might respond with, "I'm going to become the best Nascar driver on the planet" and that's OK.

Anyhow, I'm curious to what people value on a macroeconomic level -- after all your hedonistic/materialistic experiences have been met, what's next?

How will you spend your life?

Open up a BJJ school and teach there 3 days a week, i love watching people face adversity and watching them grow as a person become stronger, tougher and the community aspect of it all and team work.

help people experiencing family violence in some way.

 

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[TonyStark]

Buy every instrument (guitars lol) I can find.

Start my own line of studios.

Yeah, it’d be sweet.

 

[VIVEKSINGHJADONS]

I will definitely do something about stopping crimes against children. Here in my country, I came across news daily regarding crimes against children. The girl child is so vulnerable in this part of the world that we have to hear unpleasant news every day of gruesome crimes where most of the times victims are girl child of all ages.

I wish I can change the thinking of humans for the good.

This is one of the things I wish to do when I have that much money.

 

[alwayshungryleh]

Do you want your life to "end" at 70?
Everyone ages and time is the biggest killer of all humans.
Old, frail, on the hospital bed and ...
being sick enough that you aren't able to enjoy the best things in life and ...
being healthy enough that you aren't dead enough to finally end the boredom of your close ones not visiting you.

Part of FastLane is being with family and friend, and another part of it is being healthy to enjoy it.
Why can't we enjoy the wealth we built?
What if we can live HEALTHILY way past 100?

Let our generation achieve what Shih Huang Ti failed to do in his time.
Aging research has reached a point where we can defeat aging forever.
We are at that tipping point... NOW.

What YOU DO NOW can determine whether YOU AND YOUR CLOSE ONES get to LIVE.

Shameless call to action:
Longevity Resources & Websites

Sorry for the unwanted copywriting above. My answer is below:
Well, I'm gonna pump in all my money to longetivity research.
I want to see the day we build the Dyson Sphere, the day we visit planets in another universe, and possibly build and guard my business empire.
Maybe get called TotallyBroke the Unaging.
And to do that I need to make sure I can live for the next few centuries at least.
But I need money to do so.

 

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[G-Man]

Financial education countrywide as part of standard K-12. Kids should start learning about money and opportunity cost as soon as they learn to count. I think with a billion dollars I could pull that shit off.

 

[Gemmell]

I would use the money to bring about greater freedom for my country (Scotland.)

Specifically to bring about a 1st and 2nd amendment like you guys have in the States.

Making Scotland a Constitutional Republic (outside the UK if need be) would be cool. I don't like this parliamentary bulls**t we have now.

We have illegal speech in the UK and you can get arrested for possessing a butter knife outside your house without lawful reason. I got arrested back in 2015 for having a pair of scissors in my pocket, they were industrial ones too so not even pointy.

A 2nd amendment would create boat loads of jobs in the UK and would be beneficial in so many ways. It would also be a big "f**k you" to the communists/socialists here in the UK.

I believe I should live for something greater than myself and bringing more freedom and wealth to my country is certainly something greater than me. Scotland would be so f**king awesome with just these 2 freedoms (the 1st and 2nd amendment.)

Gemmell.