I have been retired and living on "passive income" for 30 years and people are angry! (husband, support)
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To anyone who's able to retire at age 50, don't go around bragging about it. Those of us who will have to work for a living well beyond that don't appreciate this. Just keep your %$#$#@$ mouth shut.
Last edited by The Big Lebowski Dude; 09-29-2015 at 07:33 AM..
I am quite liberal and active and therefore know dozens of other liberals. I don't know a single one like the straw man the previous poster described.
What I've seen pretty regularly is lots of conservatives, especially Tea Party types, who are outright jealous of poor people getting any government assistance, from children getting free lunches to younger people on food stamps and Medicaid to old folks living in subsidized housing.
To anyone who's able to retire at age 50, don't go around bragging about it. Those of us who will have to work for a living well beyond that don't appreciate this. Just keep your %$#$#@$ mouth shut.
Why not? Haven't they accomplished a goal and one that others would love to have accomplished? Shouldn't folks be proud of their accomplishments? Is it ok to talk about your golf handicap or your kids points per game or passing stats? How about the number of woman you have been with? Why are these things ok to talk about but not SAT scores our money saved? Which is truly more of a life worthy goal and accomplishment? Is your Bridge ranking ok? What about bowling average?
Why not? Haven't they accomplished a goal and one that others would love to have accomplished? Shouldn't folks be proud of their accomplishments? Is it ok to talk about your golf handicap or your kids points per game or passing stats? How about the number of woman you have been with? Why are these things ok to talk about but not SAT scores our money saved? Which is truly more of a life worthy goal and accomplishment? Is your Bridge ranking ok? What about bowling average?
There's a fine line between celebrating an accomplishment and bragging.
There has been a lot of back-and-forth in this thread about posters who supposedly gloat about their financial success, including a few who are reluctant to even post for fear of having to endure that criticism. So here is my personal perspective:
I see nothing wrong with relating financial success stories; if the discussion is about finances in retirement, trying to limit it to failures or even to middle of the road people is just silly. Now having said that, I think a lot of the objections are related to the manner of the telling. There really are some people who are boasting and gloating - sometimes it is thinly disguised and sometimes not disguised at all - and that does rankle. So many are not very good writers, and that is how the contempt that they really feel comes out; they are unable to hide it, or perhaps they don't care and have no desire to hide it.
So as one of the "middle of the road" people, that's how I see it. Some are too quick on the draw with the "gloating" criticism, while others do sometimes lord it over the rest of us.
There's a fine line between celebrating an accomplishment and bragging.
Hmmm so in a cooking forum one shouldn't brag about how great their food tasted? Or in a decorating forum pictures and pride about how beautiful their house is? Or in a real estate forum the price they got for their home or how many listings they got as real estate agent. I could go on and on and just consider a sports forum and fantasy league boasting. This is a retirement forum and while folks sharing their success with pride may annoy some I would hope it inspires and motivates others since the topic is retirement, and if you did it right I wanted to know as their are those wanting to paint a different picture.
Good - "I feel very fortunate to have been able to follow a good plan without being derailed by unforeseen circumstances"
Bad - "I upped my retirement income - up yours!"
So encouragement is discouraged? Wow just wow! Encouraging others to achieve more wealth is discouraged? Does that apply to cancer survivors sharing their success stories?
There's a fine line between celebrating an accomplishment and bragging.
But what about answering questions? Is it bragging if someone asks me how I was able to retire at 51 and I say "pensions, saving, and careful spending". And then I get the sneering "Oh right, PENSIONS!" As if that's some kind of scam or something. I'm very proud to have worked 25 years for a great district, and I earned my pension, and so did my husband. We worked hard for the public and were paid less than we were worth in order to get those benefits. Because of political spending and state budget problems, DH (and other state workers) didn't get scheduled COLAS for almost 10 years. They also ignore the second half of my statement about saving and careful spending. I don't ever offer up financial information unless someone asks. When they do I'm honest and I do get the "Must be nice" comments, but I just reply that yes, it's great.
So encouragement is discouraged? Wow just wow! Encouraging others to achieve more wealth is discouraged? Does that apply to cancer survivors sharing their success stories?
It was a joke. Read the "Bad" like it is 2 separate sentences... No it is not discouraged. I think that people can say they feel good about how they are doing in a way that is less likely to make others feel like they are bragging. I don't think they have to, but some people don't like offending others. I certainly don't make the rules and if I did they wouldn't be enforced. The main issue is people need to lighten up IMO.
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Gloating, bragging, or boasting - a perspective
