There's always something about... Billionaires.
Or Unicorns. (Companies/Start-ups that have reached $1 billion in valuation)...
And personally, I feel it's kinda sad.
I mean... It's really looking WAYYYYYY over the hill.
What happened to the millionaires? Or multi-millionaires? Nope... Move over. If you ain't a billionaire you ain't worth writing about.
I used to read Business Insider... Then I got bored of it. Every couple of articles talks about billionaires.
It's like...
"Top 10 things billionaires do"
Or "Do this if you want to be a billionaire"
Or "We researched 600 billionaires and they all have this 3 traits"
And Nope... Reading these will NOT make you a billionaire.
I mean yea... I think it would be cool to be a billionaire. But it comes with responsibilities, and additional security.
But most of all. For me, I don't like reading about these. Cos it's not reality.
It's not realistic. I don't relate to them, I don't relate to the stories. I don't learn anything from these articles and stories.
I relate more to stories about people, families, working people...
People who work a decent job get a good pay, be frugal, invest, prudent, and they slowly get ahead in life.
Stories that almost ANYONE can achieve. I mean... there's a big difference between being a millionaire, vs being a multi-millionaire, vs being a billionaire.
And... It's highly achievable to be a millionaire.
Work in a fairly ok paying job, don't screw up your finances, insure, be frugal, live a stable life. Many Singaporeans could be millionaires if they wanted it bad enough. BUT most people DON'T want it bad enough. They rather buy stuff now instead of delay gratification.
Then there's multi-millionaires.
These are starting to get challenging. There's the low multi-millions... $5 million, $10 million...
These can be achieved by a super good job. Investment banking, lawyer, doctor...
Also not impossible, highly relatable...
Many business owners could be in this category, BUT I would think businesses aren't so easy to start and grow to make someone rich. It's easier to find a job as a banker or doctor.
Then there's the high millions... $100 million, $200 million...
These are in the CEO range. If you're a CEO of a big company, like CEO of Nissan, then you're playing in this range. Or maybe a hedgefund manager.
And once again business owners.
This is where it starts to get uninteresting for me. Simply cos, it's unrelatable.
Mathematically, they are statistically improbable.
Possible. Yes...
But more often than not, they are dreams and I find that not interesting.
And for billionaires... Well... mathematically, I would say they are there by sheer luck.
Born in the right place, right time, meeting the right people, etc...
Don't believe it's "all luck"?
Below is something that many people have never seen before. Casio "smart watches".
https://www.theverge.com/2015/6/29/8860737/casio-watches-smartwatch-features-photos-exhibition
These were available in the 1980-1990s.
They just weren't popular cos... No one needed them.
Whereas now, the times have changed. People want them cos the technology of the rest of our lives has caught up with the watch. People's lives are now... everything they want it now. Everything is instant and convenient. Having a watch/phone makes convenient things even more convenient.
Casio probably had the right product in the wrong time. Just bad luck.
So... thing is. Billionaires, are an abnormality. Statistical improbability.
And I'm not too interested in that.
Even multi-millionaires aren't interesting for me to read about. Just cos it's not realistic.
Nothing to glorify about cos in my view, they got where they are through luck.
I like stories, ideas, about people who work hard and make it.
Who aren't statistically improbable. Like what I wrote previously about someone with just an 'O' Level.
Cos these are stories and ideas where anyone can make it. Ok maybe not everyone, cos there are some people born in bad circumstances that might have difficulty getting a foothold in life.
But most people CAN use these ideas and get ahead in life.
Hard work, good and right attitude, save, be frugal, spend within their means, insure, invest, etc...
Reading about billionaires just doesn't appeal to me.
And I don't see why people tend to glorify them so much... Why not glorify the doctors and nurses?
Why does organizations helping the less fortunate, or people who give their lives to helping the poor not get as much exposure as these billionaires?
COS THAT'S NOT THE DREAM!
NO ONE DREAMS ABOUT BEING THE DOCTOR OR NURSE, OR PERSON WHO HELPS THE POOR.
People dream about being the billionaire. They dream about being able to spend on anything they want.
They dream about going to gala balls and putting on their flashy clothes in their fancy cars and having the paparazzi taking pictures of them.
Articles on good wholesome people... Just aren't attractive. People don't like to read them. So no one writes about them. Sad but true.
Instead people worship billionaires, people who made money off the backs of hardworking people...
AND on top of that, these people STILL worship them.
I mean... Steve Jobs made billions off the common folk. He should be thanking the common folk.
But nope... the Apple fans continue to worship him and his company, continuing to buy his overpriced products.
Same as Elon Musk.
The fanboys/fangirls continue to gush over the products AND their idols that are just ... stuff... that keep them poor and keep the billionaires rich.
And yea... I think it's time to stop glorifying billionaires and multi-millionaires. They've made their money. That should be it. Let's look to better role models for ourselves and our children.
No sin in wanting to be a billionaire, but glorifying them??? Nah... let's aim higher.
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