rockbier1218
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User ID: 1794
rockbier1218
2mo ago
It’s not even a decade or two at this point, people are hitting 3 decades fairly commonly
rockbier1218
2mo ago
Very insightful comment, thank you. Immediately as I was reading the phrase “read the room” came to mind. I would typically view this phrase as a subtle rebuke for not having a sophisticated social manner (appropriately, think of the classic autist nerd who blurts out truly offensive things), but you’ve given me a new lens from which to consider what this phrase actually means. And the point about this stemming from over socialization in Ted K’s framing also makes total sense.
As stupid and exhausting as these people are (who cannot extend the same courtesy and attempt to have a theory of mind for their political/social opposite), I do still consider it a sign of higher intelligence to be able to intuit and seamlessly blend in with any such space you find yourself in.
Despite my politics being unusual for a corporate PMC environment (here I am, after all), I still cringe at colleagues who cannot “read the room” and cannot help but to regard them as philistines of one sort or another. In general it’s a skill that has served me very well in life to be able to jump into most any space and blend in, despite how slimy it sometimes feels.
rockbier1218
3mo ago
Dalrymple is like AC/DC in that they only write and play one song with a thousand small variations, but what a song!
rockbier1218
3mo ago
I have the misfortune of seeing this within my own family.
You’re right that there is no easy solution, given that lifespans have never been this long we have zero idea as a species how to handle this state of affairs where people can be massive drains on society at large from the age of 65-95 (or longer)
I am becoming more and more of a single issue “voter” on the topic of gerontocracy. In quotes because there is no party in the United States that is not actively trying to grow it and give more money to old people at the expense of the young.
In New York there is something called STAR tax relief for homeowners. Households making less than 500k/year get a yearly check that serves as relief for school taxes you pay as a homeowner. If you are over 65, you are a special citizen who gets extra money (means tested at 110k/year, but there’s no such extra relief for younger people who make less than 110k, and yearly income is not really as relevant for older people who don’t need to save for retirement, have probably already raised kids or don’t have any, probably have paid off a mortgage, don’t need to save for a kids college fund, have likely already accrued wealth such that income is effectively meaningless, I could go on). Why? Why do these people get extra money at my expense? It’s supremely unjust and makes no rational sense, other than pandering to a large voting bloc. Pure politics that flies totally under the radar. And our entire society is riddled with handouts like this. Combine this with falling birth rates, higher life expectancy, etc. I feel like a good 70-80% of economic malaise and existential issues facing America could be resolved or greatly ameliorated by just cutting this shit entirely.
Of course it makes sense, boomers are a massive cohort and old people have most of the wealth, and they vote. And for some reason young people seem completely oblivious as to how much of their taxes flow to the old, and suggesting you redistribute this somewhat triggers empathy and accusations of killing your sweet grandma. In some ways this issue is much harder to actively build a coalition around because almost all of us have elderly relatives around and we all expect to one day be in their position and wouldn’t it be nice to retire and have the government pay for everything when we do?
rockbier1218
3mo ago
I also did the 30-year + aggressive payoff schedule (trending to 15 years and maybe less if family members die and I receive expected inheritance).
Keep in mind you do get to deduct mortgage interest paid, so if you are able to itemize deductions (should be more likely with SALT cap increasing to 40k) it works out to something more like 3-4% effective interest paid. Not bad if you want the flexibility and lower mandatory payments.
It continues to be marvelously unbelievable how deeply dedicated the western liberal democracies are to ensuring that boomers have a comfortable and cushy final 20-30 years of life.
I have posted on here before how this has become my ultimate blackpill and has turned me into a single issue voter. Almost every single pressing issue we face is downstream of this boomer retirement idolatry.
Shall I go down the list?
Housing - if a boomer’s house value goes down by a single dollar it is a genocide.
Health care - if we don’t keep them alive for infinity years with free healthcare and infinity third world immigrants to wipe their asses Jesus will weep.
National debt/fiscal policy - obviously they deserve to have free money in their accounts every month, with zero means-testing. After all, they PAID INTO IT (I can’t actually blame them too much for this, it’s sold that way by the government, but social security insurance was always a tax in all but name)
I hope the connection to France and these protests is clear. Would these third world behaviors and riots still occur? Maybe. But would those people even be here in the first place if we didn’t have the need for infinity dollars to boomer retirement and housing values? Infinity health care for them? Would the productive young people still feel demoralized about the future if they could afford a house and their government actually gave a shit about their future beyond just extracting and directing their productive capacity to ensuring old people get to enjoy 30 years of retirement (really it’s limitless if you can live long enough. Enjoy your free money and free healthcare and free African ass wiper).
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