Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by pphysch 683 days ago
Conspicuous consumption should be shamed, not the other way around as this article does.
4 comments

I agree with the former point, but it's not shaming anyone to recognize that some people can have excessive anxiety about money.
Yet a financial problem my country has is generational wealth transfer, with wealthy kids inheriting large amounts from wealthy parents who did not spend enough.
I fail to understand why this is a problem. One of the reasons I save money is so that my children will have financial security lasting beyond my lifetime.
I don't agree with the above statement entirely, but I do think generational wealth transfer shouldn't be as relied upon as much as it is.

I don't think it's maintainable for a society long-term.

Not that I don't understand your emotions around it, it's logical.

It is making income disparity worse and causing problems to the larger economy, such as contributing to ballooning housing prices. Wealth accumulates with the retired and elderly, with children generally inheriting in middle age, also becoming rich old people.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-08/wealth-transfers-and-... discusses the situation in Australia.

For children, it would generally better if you could give them money while you are still alive and while they are at a stage of life they will benefit. Yet over here we tend to have tax and financial laws that discourage that. Or for the more radical socialist mindset, if financial security of your children is what you are after it may be better to massively tax wealth and fund proper social security.

Are you arguing against inheritance? Each person should start the rat race from zero?
No, not everything has to be all or nothing or at an extreme.
I would be okay with this, but mostly because I had no inheritance. I'm one of those being forced to help my parents with their terrible choices, as well as my partner support her family (4 other siblings with no support structure). It's like generational debt instead for us.

I get the emotions behind wanting to leave inheritances, but we'd be better off as a society long term if we had better safety nets and systems instead.

What's the point of not enjoying the fruits of your success now if you cannot leave this Earth with the wealth you accumulated?
I don’t get any enjoyment from spending on frivolous things. I also don’t buy replacement stuff just because. E.g. heating system is ancient and gas dryer is 25 years young. Why spend money?
Maybe everyone should just mind their own business?
I reserve the right to shame socially irresponsible behavior. Just sayin'.
Including the author?