Everyone wants to be an entrepreneur these days, but I’m pretty sure people just want to be unemployed while also having money and status. Founders and entrepreneurs embark on a journey that’s as emotionally demanding as it is intellectually challenging. While qualities like resilience, creativity, and risk tolerance are essential, the psychology of a founder…
David Graeber’s concept of “bullshit jobs” reveals a paradox in our capitalist societies: despite having the technology to automate many mundane tasks, we continue to invent and maintain meaningless, unproductive jobs. In Bullshit Jobs: A Theory, Graeber discusses how a significant number of workers feel their roles exist purely to give the impression of productivity…
Why do some people make millions reviewing toys, being a mumble rapper, or selling feet pics? I thought we were in a meritocracy. Do they work harder than the cleaner working 15-hour shifts? Are they more talented than a scientist doing cutting-edge research? Maybe they contribute more to society than the pediatric surgeon? Back in…
Tipping has gone out of hand. I was a server and a bartender. I’m not trying to take away your tips; in fact, if things get any worse, fewer people will go out to eat, restaurants will shut down, and no more tips ever. Slippery slope argument? Sure, but getting people on your side using…
Why is a six-figure salary glorified? Do we just like big numbers? Six is big, right? Six figures is an arbitrary number, but I think there’s an argument for why it’s one good indicator of lifestyle. Disposable income. 100k isn’t just double 50k in terms of lifestyle. There’s a multiplier effect once you meet the…
Are student loans a trap? Lenders are fully aware that most 18-year-olds, fresh out of high school, haven’t mastered the complexities of finance. They hand us loan documents filled with fine print and legal jargon, and they’re not exactly eager to sit down and explain how we could save thousands in interest payments. Instead, they…
It costs money to be poor. This is known as the “poverty trap,” a cycle where limited resources force choices that become more expensive over time. An apt example, called the Boots Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness, was popularized by British author Terry Pratchett in his Discworld novels. Pratchett’s character Captain Samuel Vimes observes that a…
The real estate industry is known for its significant financial transactions and influence over one of life’s largest purchases: homes. However, the incentive structures within this industry are often misaligned, leading to practices that can be considered unethical, including collusion and price-fixing. Several factors contribute to these problematic behaviors, ranging from the commission-based income structure…
What do CEOs really do, and why do they get paid so much? Have you ever wondered why some CEOs earn astronomical salaries while their companies underperform? Is Elon Musk truly a good CEO, or is there more beneath the surface? And why are so many guys “starting their own business” and calling themselves the…