from Hacker News

Ask HN: What to do post FI(hypothetically)?

by flamboyant_ride on 8/7/21, 4:08 AM with 16 comments

• by xvedejas on 8/7/21, 7:05 AM

  I think about this often myself, since it's a real possibility I'll end up with a windfall eventually. I'm not sure how to provide you with suggestions specific to your interests and situation, but I can share my personal conclusions, at risk of this being a bit of a weird comment.

  On the event of financial independence, I'll focus on building a larger coliving community of people who I trust and share similar interests and values to me. I already practice this on a small scale, by splitting a large house with four longtime friends. It has been great for my mental health and social life, as well as professional life, to live with other low-drama young professionals. But long term as we grow older I think there will be an expectation for more room, likely for families, and I think this is a problem that more money can help fix. Anyway, to the degree that I and my housemates have our shared values and resources, it already has enabled me to pursue pro-social goals without particular need for an employer to empower me. My personal sense of impact has been confined to just our broad social group, so maybe if you're concerned about having impact at the societal level, this wouldn't be satisfying to you (it is to me). But, (and sorry if this all sounds vague), I have found that the impact I've been able to have on our broader social group by providing a focal point for both fun and productive activities is the most accessible way I've been able to have any measurable impact on society. I don't regret thinking small.

• by jstx1 on 8/7/21, 9:22 AM

  I've thought about this and since I'm not that attracted to any of the options, I'm not that interested in retiring early. It's possible to have a good job that doesn't overwork you and some spare time outside of that for time with your family and for hobbies - financial independence isn't a prerequisite. And as long as that's the case, I'm not interesting in retirement at any age. Maybe my health will deteriorate to the point where I can't work but then none of the options look that appealing. Or maybe I'll change my mind as I get older. But until then I'm FWRN (financially whatever, retire never). Sure, I'll still save and invest and having more money is great, I just don't see financial independence as some milestone that will change anything for me and that's why I don't pursue it aggressively.

  There was a recent post here that made a lot of sense to me - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28070769

  I guess the more positive way to express this is - what's stopping you from doing any of these things now and why do you need to wait until FI? Retirement seems like a very roundabout way to achieve the goal of... going for a run and reading SICP.

• by system2 on 8/7/21, 7:27 AM

  I dedicated myself to garden work. Add some science to it, you have your lifelong hobby.

  Hydroponics is also very fun. While you are financially independent, why not go fully self-sufficient?

• by swman on 8/9/21, 4:30 PM

  IMO if you’re capable you should start your own business that adheres to the values you mentioned.

  If you’re FI might as well craft the future you want instead of hoarding the potential capital. If you hate mega corps then start a company and put people from minority background on your leadership roster. Focus your resources towards building something useful. Idk I feel like waiting for FI or the “system” to change is naive.

  My whole career as a software engineer and entrepreneur has been stitching together multiple systems to work together in harmony. It’s much easier to write layers on top of the complexity for new people, or to leverage the strengths and account for the weaknesses of certain systems to make them work well together.

  I’m sure this can apply to changing the society. It’s cheap to say just burn it down and start over, or that the system sucks and boohoo. It’s hard to actually do the work of making a difference now today so society will be better off in x decades.

  Also life is literally a competition for survival. It doesn’t mean we should be awful to each other but to try and remove competition wholesale is also a dead end IMO.

  Good luck!

• by RajSinghLA on 8/8/21, 4:01 PM

  Given your interests, consider building public good dApps or defi projects that leverage the latest in crypto tech like so-SNARKs and quadratic funding. Powerful emerging tech that doesn’t yet have much economic incentive for companies to adopt seems like it could be fun and potentially broadly useful.

  Relevant podcast episode with Vitalik: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tim-ferriss-show/i...

• by commentsgaloer2 on 8/8/21, 3:39 AM

  I think for that last part, you could go into education.

  I've thought about the homeless part. Why is it so difficult to eradicate? There's enough homes for everyone, and we can build a lot more. I know the state should do it, but is it that expensive to build some sort of permanent refuge where people can get support, and also housing for as long as they like?

• by newusertoday on 8/7/21, 8:49 AM

  explore yourself, why you believe what you believe? is that belief correct? how does your mind works? is it the same for others? what is conditioned response? what is conscious response? is there even a conscious response?

• by kubanczyk on 8/7/21, 6:30 AM

  I'd suggest not to be a contrarian, despite it is quite a captivating meme.

  You do have goals; try to follow them swimming with the (general) people, and with their social/economic systems, rather than against.