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Does the author feel better after writing generating all of this negativity? I don't feel better reading it. I live in the opposite of a McMansion, but if I ha

Does the author feel better after writing generating all of this negativity? I don't feel better reading it. I live in the opposite of a McMansion, but if I had a choice, I would prefer to live in a large house where I can have some space that is my own. I wouldn't give two shits about what someone thinks about the appearance of the house. There are those who view success as a large house, nice car, a nice lawn, with kids running around in the back yard. There are people who view success as living in the city, childless, dining out, paying ever increasing rent as your badge of honor. The old American Dream concluded with you seeing the fruits of your labor in your possessions and the successes of your progeny. It was full of traps and the ways to fail were many, but there was some sort of blueprint to having something at the end of it all. The new American Dream is really just like a dream. You wake up and you have nothing to show for it and you barely remember it. You ate good food, drank good drinks, hung out with friends, went to that awesome show. All these great experiences. But you paid for them, in high rent, untold thousands on cabs home, expensive meals, artisanal trinkets, the right clothes, concert tickets. And the next day, they are memories. And then at some point, you are old, you age out of the lifestyle, and then out of your job and suddenly you have nothing left. Which of these American Dreams is better?

nommm-nommm 10y ago
This is an extremely bizarre comment. Research suggests that spending money on experiences brings lasting happiness and spending money on material objects does not. Not wanting to own a huge house doesn't mean being childless or childfree. Most Americans have children sometime in their lives and even many who can't have children would like to have had them. Consumerism is still alive and well in America. Does one really age out of enjoying eating, drinking, and companionship? Does hitting a certain age mean you suddenly want to sit around the house alone eating bland food and staring at your accumulation of stuff? Enjoying going out and doing things at the expense of a long commute, two SUVs, and huge house doesn't mean you spend 100% of your money and have no budget. I enjoy all those things (too much) and still save half our income and we max out our 401(k)s and IRAs. If I had a smaller income I'd adjust my spending, I certainly did when I was a student and also when I was very poor. If I wanted to buy a McMansion once I age out of companionship and having fun I certainly can afford to do so at that time. Personally, material possessions bring me a lot of anxiety and I'd like to own as little as possible to reduce my anxiety level. I don't want to "[see] the fruits of [my] labor in [my] possessions."
- partisan 10y ago
  What's bizarre about my comment? I was positing that perhaps the American Dream has changed. The previous generation bought into the dream of owning a house and the car and the bigger the better. The motivation to buy a McMansion is a cultural response, but so is the new vision of living the way you live. I live more like you than like the people buying McMansions, except that I own the apartment I live in. Living in the NYC area, I see a lot of people who are chasing the urban dweller lifestyle at the expense of their future needs. They don't save, instead choosing to live paycheck to paycheck to afford their lifestyle. In terms of aging out, I think that there is a limit to that type of lifestyle and it comes with having kids or other responsibilities, aging parents, illness, etc. I don't want to make it about you specifically anymore than I want to make it about me specifically. There are exceptions to every rule, of course. I am sure that the majority of the audience of HN who work are able to live well and save well. We aren't the majority in society.
hogrammer 10y ago
Exactly. And yet I got "flagged" for saying that one man's McMansion is another man's Castle.

nommm-nommm 10y ago

This is an extremely bizarre comment. Research suggests that spending money on experiences brings lasting happiness and spending money on material objects does not. Not wanting to own a huge house doesn't mean being childless or childfree. Most Americans have children sometime in their lives and even many who can't have children would like to have had them. Consumerism is still alive and well in America. Does one really age out of enjoying eating, drinking, and companionship? Does hitting a certain age mean you suddenly want to sit around the house alone eating bland food and staring at your accumulation of stuff? Enjoying going out and doing things at the expense of a long commute, two SUVs, and huge house doesn't mean you spend 100% of your money and have no budget. I enjoy all those things (too much) and still save half our income and we max out our 401(k)s and IRAs. If I had a smaller income I'd adjust my spending, I certainly did when I was a student and also when I was very poor. If I wanted to buy a McMansion once I age out of companionship and having fun I certainly can afford to do so at that time. Personally, material possessions bring me a lot of anxiety and I'd like to own as little as possible to reduce my anxiety level. I don't want to "[see] the fruits of [my] labor in [my] possessions."

partisan 10y ago
What's bizarre about my comment? I was positing that perhaps the American Dream has changed. The previous generation bought into the dream of owning a house and the car and the bigger the better. The motivation to buy a McMansion is a cultural response, but so is the new vision of living the way you live. I live more like you than like the people buying McMansions, except that I own the apartment I live in. Living in the NYC area, I see a lot of people who are chasing the urban dweller lifestyle at the expense of their future needs. They don't save, instead choosing to live paycheck to paycheck to afford their lifestyle. In terms of aging out, I think that there is a limit to that type of lifestyle and it comes with having kids or other responsibilities, aging parents, illness, etc. I don't want to make it about you specifically anymore than I want to make it about me specifically. There are exceptions to every rule, of course. I am sure that the majority of the audience of HN who work are able to live well and save well. We aren't the majority in society.

hogrammer 10y ago

Exactly. And yet I got "flagged" for saying that one man's McMansion is another man's Castle.