Stop What You’re Doing …

Cuz I’m about to ruin the Grumpus sense and style that you’re used to?

In the now timeless words of Chris Farley, “Holy Schneikes!”.  I saw a lot of negativity on the interwebs this week, which made me regret getting a Book of Face account.  I only got an account in order to run a Financial Independence (FI) blog.  Prior to that I was as anti-FB as they come, and had never had an account.  In fact, I still do not have personal account, just this semi-awesome public persona with his two avid followers (thanks kids!).

I used to simply listen to podcasts about the cognitive dissonance people engaged in on the internet, now I get to see it first hand.  I used to read well thought out news articles that would lay out facts, points, and counter-points forcing me to think about all sides of an issue.  Now I get sucked into the visceral, opinion laden, and nonfactual diarrhea that spews out from peoples’ minds, through their thumbs, and into their comments box.  Is it me, or do people just like to shout “fake news”, strap into their echo chambers, and argue past each other with no intent, or hope, in reaching common ground.  It’s enough to make a grumpy guy like me point out that people suck … I mean REALLY suck.

What does any of that have to do with personal finances, FI,  and retirement planning?  I don’t know, but I felt it needed to be said.  If that loses me an occasional reader, so be it.  As Bob Dole once said, “…the exits, which are clearly marked, are for you…“. Continue reading →