What does it mean to be “good” with money? Does it mean spending very little of it, spending a small portion of it relative to one’s income, spending it judiciously, or does it consist of some other quality? Conversely, what does it mean to be “bad” with money? Does it mean spending a lot of […]
Month: November 2021
Thought Games of Political Economy
I’m not yet ready to commit myself to any serious study of macroeconomics: it’s simply too large of a field, with too many interconnecting pieces. I don’t know that my interests will actually help me go very deep here. But I think thought games can do a great deal to help anybody think clearly about […]
Consumer Goods as a Proxy for Value
As a kid, half my life was spent thirsting for the next toy or video game. I could occasionally save up my allowance to buy nice or expensive things, but I would often have to rely on the luck of Christmas or my birthday for the those much more expensive things, especially video game consoles. […]
Failing at ‘Optimal’
A lot of effort goes into finding the most optimal paths for various aspects of life. My thoughts gravitate toward finding this on a regular basis, but the truth seems ever elusive. I get tired. I get frustrated. Recently, my car developed a thunk going over bumps, in conjunction with a slight creak whenever I […]
Minimalism: Stuff Quantity vs. Stuff Size
Well, it finally happened: I ordered a PS2. Of all the things I’ve gotten rid of over the years, the PS2 is one of very, very few things I have regretted getting rid of. Downsizing the collection of video games wasn’t bad in itself, but I ultimately blocked myself from ever playing certain games normally […]
Paying Money to Save Money: The Strange Economics of DIY
Several months ago, I had an interesting thought concerning the actual cost of working on my car. Back at my old apartment, I had the option to rent a garage for an additional $75/month on top of my rent for the apartment. I never took this option because I was too cheap for that sort […]