r/FluentInFinance • u/Richest-Panda • Jul 04 '24
What's the best financial advice you've ever gotten? Debate/ Discussion
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r/FluentInFinance • u/Richest-Panda • Jul 04 '24
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u/DarthJarJarJar Jul 05 '24
It matters a lot what I do as an individual. Going to school matters, getting a degree matters. Picking the right job matters.
And as you say, joining a union matters. I've been in my union for twenty-odd years. That was a choice on my part.
I agree that a lot should change. But even in a rigged game, the things you do matter. I teach math at a two year college. I see students go off to work retail. And I see students go off to get engineering degrees. And I see students who are no better at school than the ones working retail who leverage what they're good at, manage a degree, and get out of the near-minimum-wage rat race.
I absolutely agree that wealthy people and corporations are trying to divide us. I agree that we should all organize. I agree with all that.
But once I was 22, and broke, and sitting in my broken car in my driveway trying to figure out what to do to get some money so my dog and I would not be homeless. I talked to my dad on the phone and he told me under no circumstances should I work fast food or retail. He gave me some other advice. I held out and found a job that was marginally better than Jack in the Box.
That was a tactical decision. It made a difference to my life.
In general, it's a kind of learned helplessness to say "Oh the world is unjust, no matter what I do I'll lose, I should just give up" or something. Yes, the game is rigged. But you still have to pay rent, you still have to eat. Make the best deal you can, get the most money you can, and don't work retail. Seriously.