I've come across this article about a 96-year old secretary from Brooklyn who quietly amassed fortune then donated some of it to some college scholarship. Although it is certainly nice to become this rich and help those in need, I still have some mix thoughts about this kind of life. I know that working hard until old age so you can enjoy retirement benefits is such a big thing in high societies. And most people are culturally-conditioned to follow this pattern of life. Or that there's no other way than the American way.

1. What if I'm hit by a bus and killed the day before I retire?

2. What am I going to do if I'm not hit by a bus and killed the day before I retire?

Life's a bit tricky, isn't it? You just don't know what you're going to get. I'm all for working hard just so I won't beg on the streets when I'm old. I don't even want to reach old age as I'd rather not be a burden anymore. Nobody can and will even take care of me unless of course, I can afford a caregiver. Such a popular job in the western society as there are more and more elderly getting dumped by their children into homes. Quite sad.

There's another sweet cake, work your ass off until retirement or until you could afford a grand beach house in the middle of a poor fishing village in the third world. But then it's too late because you're too sick to walk your dogs while watching the sunset and the poor people. Believe me, this happens all the time. So what's the story? Oh probably the wife died, got divorced or something then there's a fisherman who is willing to sell her young daughter so they too, could have better lives. The old man's pension is going to take care of everything anyway. Quite sad.

I know there must be this so-called balance somewhere. To save money for the future while also enjoying it for the short duration of life here on earth. Given my taste for life and adventure, it is quite ridiculous for me to live in one place all my life while being frugal to death. So I can be rich when I'm 96. Say I am rich by 96 and perhaps by that time, I am too sick to scuba dive or hike in the mountains. Nobody is attracted to my posh clothes over my wrinkly skin or my fast car. I can't take all that wealth to my grave. There's no reason to deprive myself all my life because I have no one to pass my wealth to. I am free to live my life according to my own terms, right now.

I don't easily fall for these grand stories spreading these days, like how some were able to buy a big house by being frugal or retiring early by being frugal or getting rich by being frugal and all that. Sure it can happen but come on, these stories left behind some factors to consider. Do these people have parents at least if not rich? Or do they have someone who could help them, someone to turn to in times of need? Are they structurally advantaged in the society? Do they have friend investors or friends working in the banks? Were they born with privileges? Did they inherit a little bit of something? Are they not struggling to live day by day? There are many things that were not considered as to how they got to that high level of life. It's not only about being frugal and all that glamorized rags to riches neoliberal propaganda thing.

The idealist thinking is that we are created equal, like equal human beings who breathe and shit the same. Or face the inconvenient truth that we are not. We are just not. Or that's just how we were conditioned to believe. Equality is a grand illusion. Most people still think they are better than the rest while some think that they are forever slaves. Some people cannot just work until they get old and enjoy high retirement benefits. Social benefits do not work the same everywhere. The majority of people still struggle to live at old age. Some really have nothing. Many people are homeless. Some people are victims of culture and religion. Some people don't inherit anything from their parents or grandparents. Some cannot find jobs anymore. Some risk their lives to cross the border so they too can have a chance to a better life.

The feel-good positivity is not going to work for most because people don't have the same circumstances in life. What works for you will not work for some. My struggle is not yours and vice versa. Some people struggle to put food on the table while some struggle to get their iPhones fixed. Some struggle if they are going to accept their parent's money while some don't even have parents. Some get special treatment in the society while most don't. Perspective changes. Everything is relative.

People work hard all their lives under the illusion of security and the all-too-comfortable. But I guess the question is not really if I'm going to be too old to enjoy my wealth, I guess it's more - will I even get some tiny wealth before I get older? So maybe work hard while taking some holiday every now and then? Sure, that can work. But there's no way I'm going to enclose myself in a box all my life while amassing some useless wealth I can't take with me when I die. I might even die before I even get to that wealthy and comfortable point, who knows? One thing I know for sure is that I don't want to waste my life away. I only have one shot here and I better spend it right.