Although Aaron Clarey has struck many as being quite pompous and arrogant I found his book “Sanity is the Future of Wealth” not just entertaining but thought provoking. I’m going to put down some of my notes. I will say this book is very short and definitely worth the read.
Gist of the book: Despite having effectively unlimited resources human pettiness, jealousy, envy, and greed springs eternal, and thus damns most people to a life of misery, anger, hatred, and envy.
I: De-Coupling Money from Wealth
People that have 1 million times more wealth don’t really have 1 million times better lives, or live substantially longer
II: What Happens Post-Unlimited Wealth?
Key to zen like state is realizing only thing in the world that matter is other humans. Other’s company is the true source of happiness.
III: Forever Lazy = Forever Envious = Forever Inferior
At core Leftists are lazy. Our society, while able to somewhat redistribute money and wealth we are not readily able to redistribute intangible items like talent, friends, love, sex, etc.
Leftists will: 1) Redefine excellence, accomplishment, and achievement. 2) Irrationally and falsely value traits. 3) Participate wholly in professional victimhood
IV: Redefining Excellence, Accomplishment, and Achievement
Lying to themselves protects their feelings. Examples include not keeping score at sporting events, eliminating GPAs, fat acceptance movement, etc…
V: Irrationally Valuing Traits
Putting value on things one is born with.
Examples would be born male/female, being Jewish/Christian/Muslim, being white/black/brown.
INSTEAD of actual talent or hard work
VII (VI didn’t really have anything to say on): But at What Cost?
“Reality Principle” – The further removed your decisions are from reality, the less effective they will be.
VIII: Sanity as Wealth
Resolving income inequality only removes income inequality from society but leaves other aspects on the table: BEAUTY, STRENGTH, TALENT, SKILL, EXCELLENCE, CREATIVITY, LOVE, PRIDE, SEX
Notes/Takeaways
It seems like every so often I lose track of what is truly important and that is your time and your interactions with people. I have been a victim sometimes of trying to optimize my balance sheet (since that’s what I track) at the detriment of other parts of my life. I’m not saying I will stop tracking my net worth but perhaps I need to revamp my balance sheet. Maybe I need to look at my assets and liabilities under a time component, and not just in dollars. Think not just of ROI of my money but the ROI on my time for undertaking certain activities. And maybe I need to take stock in important things like number of days I’ve spent with my family and friends.
I have felt pressure lately, through inflation, that does have me looking at money very differently. But the idea that this book brings up on how a group could try to redistribute intangible items is quite thought provoking. It really just makes me think even more that I need to put the blinders on and just focus on myself, because if I just try to be better no one can take that away from me.
When I read about the reality principle I started really thinking. What decisions am I trying to make in my life, might be too far removed from reality? I landed on making some remodels to my rentals, which I still haven’t actually been in over the last four years. I’ve been removed from reality, and thus decided to line up time to go in each of them the next two weeks.
Thanks Aaron Clarey:)
I will be doing a podcast episode on this book soon so stay tuned to The Brothers on Books Podcast