This thread is in contrast to the following one:
Financial Independence Retire Early [F.I.R.E]It's not that I want to make a competition between the two threads, far from it, but I have long thought that even if the time comes when I accumulate so much wealth that I can retire, even before the ordinary retirement age, I don't plan to do so. I will first quote part of what I said in that thread:
I am not attracted to this movement, and in 5 to 10 years at the most I will be able to quit my job, or spend a year traveling around the world if I want to. Some FIRE stories are of a sub-human stinginess to reach the goal of financial freedom, and then when they get it they still find it hard to spend the money. Also, having no obligations, lots of free time and little to do ends up with some people dying from overdoses or things like that. Those who don't take that route end up going back to work, but in something that they want, that motivates them and being their own boss. Marc Cuban would be an example.
I would also like to say that I'm not pretending this is an idea that I invented. I'm sure I've heard it from several public figures, one of whom was Dave Ramsey.
If you were retired, would you mind very much doing a job like participating in a paid signature campaign of the forum? I wouldn't, and even less if it's one of those that doesn't have a weekly minimum.
If we think about physical jobs and people going through hardships to do them, like miners during the industrial revolution, then we will surely want to retire as soon as possible. But today there are many jobs that can be done with a computer. And if you have accumulated enough money to retire, you can also make a small investment to start a project that motivates you. That is why I say that I plan, one way or another, never to retire, at least as long as my cognitive abilities allow me to do so.
What about you guys?
It seems to me that your stance is a little unclear, but I agree with much of what you say. The reality is most of the world is conditioned to the idea that we need to work for 50 years and when you do something for such a long time it is hard to break free of that cycle, but it does not have to be that way. Many people are also a little wasteful in their spending habits, which means that they perpetuate this cycle for longer than necessary and simply do not have the mentality to retire early, even if they had the financial means. You can live comfortably and spend wisely without being overly frugal. I too would pick up a hobby, which might also be financially rewarding, as you will need something to keep you occupied - but it's the fact that you control your destiny and have relative freedom that is the biggest benefit of being financially independent.