3 ms·
An often overlooked point is that "Getting rich quick" is often portrayed as a crass and shallow pursuit, whereas in reality in the US, it translates into: 1.
by embolism 13y ago
An often overlooked point is that "Getting rich quick" is often portrayed as a crass and shallow pursuit, whereas in reality in the US, it translates into:
1. Good healthcare.
2. Freedom to live in a peaceful safe neighborhood where you can have a family.
3. A reasonable education for one's children.
4. Ability to choose what projects to work on.
Why is anyone surprised that these are the priorities of entrepreneurs, when they correlate directly with basic human needs - safety, shelter ability to reproduce and freedom of choice. Few people will focus on the self-actualization of a truly world changing project until they have obtained some security for themselves and their families.
Jobs, Musk, Gates, Thiel, Google.org etc. are all good examples of this. (I.e. they got rich first, then they launched ambitious projects)
- oscargrouch 13y agoAll of those you have cited, were innovators before they were rich.. when they lack the comfort you quoted.. on the contrary, maybe when they need those things for themselves or others, then they created their inovations through hard work??!
- embolism 13y agoThey were innovators, but the products that made them rich were a lot simpler and more focused on short term profit than the more ambitious projects that they are now famed for. The point is that they made their money with short term projects of limited scope, and then embarked on the more ambitious ones. (Gates came from a rich family though)
- oscargrouch 13y agoI dont know Elon Musk biography very much, but Gates, Jobs and Page/Brin are/were very hard workers.. (Gates sleeping under his desk or in office couch are well known) Of course there are "fast bucks" stories like, instagram, tumblr and the likes.. but i thinks this is more of a bubble effect.. too much money around.. overvaluations, etc.. but (i think) that these stories are the exceptions, not the rule
- embolism 13y agoYou are completely missing the point. None of this is about hard work. They all worked extremely hard for their whole careers, and the ones who are still alive continue to do so. The point is that they all established a tidy fortune by focussing on short term projects before they took on more ambitious projects. That's why most entrepreneurs aren't focused on major world changing projects - they are trying to satisfy their needs for security first, and that is the general rule, not the exception.
- Ma8ee 13y agoThis is why I'm moving back to Sweden. Your points 1, 2, and 3 are guaranteed for everyone no matter how much money they have.
- mpyne 13y agoWell, 2 seems contraindicated for all least those residents of Stockholm who were near the rioting that took place last month.
- Ma8ee 13y agoThe exception that confirms the rule. :) There was no riots in the sense most people think about them. These were small groups of angry young men starting fires and throwing stones at the police. I don't know of anyone who wasn't dressed in a uniform that was hurt. I would probably have kept my kids at home those 5(?) nights while it was going on if I was living in Husby myself, but I wouldn't have feared going out myself. It is because Sweden is considered such a safe place that relatively small events like this get such a huge international coverage. Of course media pounces on anything that looks like a crack in paradise.