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I'm sure people who have worked at FAANG for 20 years aren't starving in the streets, but you don't know enough about their financial situation to predict wheth

I'm sure people who have worked at FAANG for 20 years aren't starving in the streets, but you don't know enough about their financial situation to predict whether they are "unreasonably wealthy." How much of their salary went straight in to their landlord's pockets? Towards student loan interest? Towards health issues, childcare, or taking care of extended family members? Maybe they tried investing and lost money. Heck, maybe they just prioritized travel over saving money, or something. You can't just assume someone has F-you money just because they worked for 20 years.

abxyz 2y ago
Anyone at Google from 2005 to 2025 is a multi millionaire many times over based on stock value alone. Even a savant at squandering money would struggle to come out of 20 years at Google without unreasonable wealth.
- engcoach 2y ago
  It only takes a spouse with a personality disorder and a divorce to change the calculus.
- gwd 2y ago
  People who are bad with money are bad with money, no matter how much money they have. Look up the financial problems Judy Garland and Johnny Depp have had, for instance.
  - sgammon 2y ago
    Squandering great wealth requires great wealth in the first place
    - gwd 2y ago
      Sure, but it's often the case that if you squander a small income you'll squander a large income. Obviously nobody can live in Silicon Valley on $10k/year; but if you find yourself struggling to stay within your means with $50k/year in a typical town, you'll find yourself struggling with $500k/year as well.
spacemadness 2y ago
For the most part, yes, yes you can.
- NotAnOtter 2y ago
  I half-typed a longer message but when it came time to actually do math assuming some averages for annual saving, interest, google stock growth, etc. I decided it wasn't worth the effort. You wrote me original message with less words
Aurornis 2y ago
> How much of their salary went straight in to their landlord's pockets? Towards student loan interest? I don’t think comments like these really understand the incredible value of FAANG comp over the past 20 years. People who got and kept these jobs had a true golden ticket. Paying rent and student loan interest are a rounding error. These were not normal jobs in normal circumstances.
sgammon 2y ago
> You can't just assume someone has F-you money just because they worked for 20 years. At Google? You can. Or they spent it all, in which case the point still applies.

abxyz 2y ago

Anyone at Google from 2005 to 2025 is a multi millionaire many times over based on stock value alone. Even a savant at squandering money would struggle to come out of 20 years at Google without unreasonable wealth.

engcoach 2y ago
It only takes a spouse with a personality disorder and a divorce to change the calculus.
gwd 2y ago
People who are bad with money are bad with money, no matter how much money they have. Look up the financial problems Judy Garland and Johnny Depp have had, for instance.
- sgammon 2y ago
  Squandering great wealth requires great wealth in the first place
  - gwd 2y ago
    Sure, but it's often the case that if you squander a small income you'll squander a large income. Obviously nobody can live in Silicon Valley on $10k/year; but if you find yourself struggling to stay within your means with $50k/year in a typical town, you'll find yourself struggling with $500k/year as well.

spacemadness 2y ago

For the most part, yes, yes you can.

NotAnOtter 2y ago
I half-typed a longer message but when it came time to actually do math assuming some averages for annual saving, interest, google stock growth, etc. I decided it wasn't worth the effort. You wrote me original message with less words

Aurornis 2y ago

> How much of their salary went straight in to their landlord's pockets? Towards student loan interest? I don’t think comments like these really understand the incredible value of FAANG comp over the past 20 years. People who got and kept these jobs had a true golden ticket. Paying rent and student loan interest are a rounding error. These were not normal jobs in normal circumstances.

sgammon 2y ago

> You can't just assume someone has F-you money just because they worked for 20 years. At Google? You can. Or they spent it all, in which case the point still applies.