F**k you money

Sound bite:

"This is sometimes called "f*** you money," which, in spite of its coarseness, means that it allows you to act like a Victorian gentleman, free from slavery. It is a psychological buffer: the capital is not so large as to make you spoiled-rich, but large enough to give you the freedom to choose a new occupation without excessive consideration of the financial rewards. It shields you from prostituting your mind and frees you from outside authority—any outside authority. (Independence is person-specific: I have always been taken aback at the high number of people in whom an astonishingly high income led to additional sycophancy as they became more dependent on their clients and employers and more addicted to making even more money.) While not substantial by some standards, it literally cured me of all financial ambition—it made me feel ashamed whenever I diverted time away from study for the pursuit of material wealth. Note that the designation "f**k you" corresponds to the exhilarating ability to pronounce that compact phrase before hanging up the phone." - Nassim Taleb

Hence the need for me to have some money squirreled away by the time I graduate, that allows me to sneer at sycophants who need to do lots of sucking up in careers they don't like. You see, we need to live lives instead of earning livings. Thinking and reading is a good lifestyle - although in order to be a fully functional member of society I think one must also perform some charitable works. And reduce excess, spending on expensive goods that one doesn't need, etc.

However, a colleague has pointed out that I have taken idolizing to a whole new level by quoting Taleb all too frequently (and rarely, on occasions where there is no link). At this juncture, I emphasize that I also read Nouriel Roubini, George Soros, Benoit Mandelbrot, Arnold Toynbee, Niall Ferguson, and a range of other historians, economists, and philosophers to maintain a "balanced" (that is, my notion of balance) of these soft sciences.

Much more reading to be done!