How to be a Winner in Late Stage Capitalism
All you need to do is rent your home (but not for too long), earn passive income, and sell your soul.
I’ve had the same low three-digit bank balance for months. I can’t afford some necessary dental work. I don’t have (and can’t afford) a car. My running shoes long ago exceeded their recommended mileage. My outdated electronics are all in advanced stages of decay. Clearly, I’m losing in the game called late-stage capitalism.Â
Like most losers, I didn’t set out to lose. I come from a respectable family. I have an Ivy League degree. I started several businesses. I was (am?) a global expert in one of the world’s largest commercial markets (i.e. residential real estate). I’ve been married, had kids, and bought a home. I’ve been featured in the New York Times, Dwell, documentaries, TV shows, and even have my own TEDx talk! Beyond my itemized accomplishments, I’ve used my conscience as a guide and attempted to make the world a loving, just, and sustainable place for as many as possible. None of this has safeguarded me from failure, as evidenced through my poverty and paucity of possessions.   Â
While I can’t pinpoint the exact cause(s) of my losing ways, perusing MSNBC and Insider gives some hints. Unlike Jamie Inlow, Gabby Wallace, JP Mancini, Michael Albaum, and other winners who earn big and work little, I have not started an Airbnb or other passive income side-hustle. You see, my fixation with my conscience has omitted a number of lucrative professions and money-making schemes: banker, pharmaceutical marketer, Airbnb superhost, web domain hoarder, AI copywriter, etc.Â
If any of my winner friends have suggestions for freeing myself of the shackles of my conscience—or explaining why major media still celebrates awful people making money in awful ways—please share them in the comments.
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