Moutushi

Mmm, that sounds like my favorite environment. I took the advice that you had previously shared on this forum about easily setting up a retreat at home instead of going somewhere outside for a retreat, and I set up a dark isolation room in an empty closet in my house. Although I am considering changing things up a bit in the near future, and at one point going for a dark retreat at this location. https://www.thehermitageretreats.com/dark-retreats

Oh, I already did a lot of that in my 20s. I feel I outgrew it with each passing year in my 30s

@Leo Gura Same here. I just turned 34 two weeks ago, and as I look back at the past year, I am noticing myself becoming less and less inclined to socialize as each year passes. Nowadays, I spend the majority of my time in solitude. Part of it is me becoming more selective about who I socialize with, and that pool of people continues to shrink with time, and also me being extremely repelled by small talk. I do enjoy being in a public, busy space every now and then, where I can sit alone on a bench and just watch humans be human around me. I'm curious, do you see your tendency to socialize possibly changing for you with time?

The Evil Billionaire Riley wasn’t just broke. Riley was angry. Every time they scrolled through their phone, they saw more evidence of how unfair the world was. Billionaires flaunting their wealth—yachts, mansions, private islands. Meanwhile, Riley lived in a tiny apartment with secondhand furniture and a fridge that was half-empty most of the time. It wasn’t fair. “They have too much. That’s why I have so little,” Riley would tell anyone who would listen. “If billionaires didn’t hoard all the wealth, the rest of us wouldn’t have to struggle.” Riley spent their days obsessing over it. Posting online, calling for “wealth redistribution,” tearing down anyone who defended the rich. It wasn’t enough to dislike billionaires—Riley needed everyone else to hate them too. A Lesson in Wealth One day, while waiting for the bus, Riley saw a businessman in a sharp suit step out of a high-end car. A Bentley. Pure excess. Probably another selfish billionaire. The businessman reached into his pocket, pulled out a hundred-dollar bill, and handed it to a homeless man sitting nearby. Riley’s blood boiled. Why should one person be able to throw around money like that while others had nothing? So, Riley marched over. “That’s not enough, you know. If people like you weren’t hoarding all the wealth, he wouldn’t need your pity money in the first place.” The businessman raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” Riley crossed their arms. “You people take and take. You don’t deserve what you have.” The businessman smiled. “Tell me something—how much money have you given away today?” Riley scoffed. “I can’t afford to give anything. That’s the point.” The businessman nodded. “I see. So, I give because I can, and you don’t because you can’t. But tell me—have you ever tried to create something? Build something? Offer anything of value?” Riley hesitated. “I work hard. I—” “No, I didn’t ask if you worked hard,” the businessman interrupted. “I asked if you’ve created anything. A business? A product? A service? Have you ever done something that made other people’s lives better?” Riley felt their stomach tighten. “That’s not the point. The system is rigged. The rich get richer because—” “I grew up in a trailer park,” the businessman said, cutting Riley off. “Single mother, no college degree. I started a business fixing computers when I was seventeen. At first, I barely made enough to eat. But I got better. I helped more people. I built something, and eventually, it paid off.” He gestured toward his Bentley. “This didn’t come from ‘hoarding’—it came from creating value that others were willing to pay for.” Riley scowled. “You got lucky.” “Maybe,” the businessman said. “But funny thing about luck—it seems to show up more often when you’re actually working toward something.” With that, he walked away. The Shift in Thinking Riley stood there, fists clenched. But as much as they wanted to dismiss everything the businessman had said, the words lingered. Riley had spent years believing that their financial struggles were caused by other people hoarding too much. But if that were true… why were so many lottery winners broke within a few years? Why did so many people inherit wealth only to lose it? And why were some of the wealthiest people in the world self-made? For the first time, Riley asked a terrifying question: What if wealth wasn’t about how much someone took… but about how much they created? Riley had spent their whole life waiting for someone else to fix things. Waiting for billionaires to redistribute their money. Waiting for the government to level the playing field. Waiting for something to change so they could finally get ahead. But the businessman hadn’t waited. He had built something. That night, Riley sat in their apartment, staring at the blank screen of their laptop. They had always thought money was finite—that if someone had more, someone else had to have less. But what if that wasn’t true? What if money, opportunities, success… were all things that could be created? And if that was true, then the only thing keeping Riley in lack… was Riley’s own thinking. The Power of Creation Over the next few months, Riley made a radical change. They stopped posting about how unfair the world was. They stopped blaming billionaires for their problems. Instead, they started learning. They started creating. They looked for ways to bring value to others—not just complain about what others had. And something strange happened. Opportunities started showing up. Not because billionaires suddenly decided to be “less greedy,” but because Riley had changed their mindset from one of lack to one of creation. One day, Riley found themselves in a coffee shop, standing behind an old man searching his pockets with shaky hands. Riley smiled and pulled out their wallet. “I’ve got it.” And for the first time, they understood: wealth isn’t taken. It’s created.

I agree @aurum ! Nuance is as far away from them as our distance from the Sun....

Arguments for Eliminating Overregulation by the CFPB (Generated by ChatGBT) --Encourages Economic Growth & Innovation --Excessive regulation can stifle competition and innovation, especially among smaller financial institutions and fintech startups. --Deregulation may lower compliance costs, allowing banks and lenders to offer more products and services. --Reduces Compliance Burden on Small Banks & Credit Unions --Community banks and credit unions often struggle to comply with CFPB rules, which are more tailored for large financial institutions. --High compliance costs lead to fewer loans and financial products for consumers, particularly in rural or underserved areas. --Prevents Bureaucratic Overreach --Critics argue that the CFPB operates with minimal oversight, as its funding comes from the Federal Reserve rather than Congress. --Some believe the agency has too much unchecked power, making rules that significantly impact businesses without sufficient accountability. --Increases Consumer Choice --Some regulations (e.g., strict lending standards) limit access to credit for low-income or high-risk borrowers. --Eliminating excessive regulation could allow lenders to develop new financial products that better serve diverse consumer needs. --Reduces Costs for Consumers --Compliance costs are often passed down to consumers in the form of higher fees, interest rates, or limited access to financial services. --Fewer regulations could lower costs and improve access to loans, credit cards, and mortgages. Arguments Against Eliminating Overregulation by the CFPB --Protects Consumers from Predatory Practices --The CFPB was created after the 2008 financial crisis to prevent deceptive and abusive practices (e.g., predatory lending, hidden fees, unfair debt collection). --Weakening regulations could increase the risk of financial institutions exploiting consumers. --Prevents Another Financial Crisis --Many regulations target risky financial behaviors that contributed to past economic collapses. --Reducing oversight could allow bad lending practices to resurface, increasing systemic financial risks. --Ensures Fair Lending & Prevents Discrimination --The CFPB enforces laws like the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prevent racial, gender, or age-based discrimination in lending. --Eliminating key regulations may worsen financial inequality and discriminatory lending. --Holds Financial Institutions Accountable --The CFPB imposes fines and penalties on banks and lenders that engage in fraudulent or misleading activities. --Without strong enforcement, companies may take advantage of weaker protections and engage in harmful practices. --Stabilizes the Market & Prevents Exploitation --Some regulations create transparency in financial products (e.g., clear disclosures for credit cards and loans). --Reducing oversight may lead to hidden fees, misleading terms, and consumer confusion, making financial decisions riskier. Middle Ground? Instead of full deregulation, some argue for regulatory reform rather than elimination—focusing on streamlining CFPB rules, increasing oversight of the agency itself, and ensuring that regulations do not disproportionately burden smaller institutions.

I don't, but I would love to. We aren't putting in any extra effort to make it happen, though, outside of our regular intimate life. My life is good now as it is now with or without kids. I feel grateful to have a loving partner who would be a wonderful mother and partner to help me in raising any children that we become blessed to have.

This literally just happened in the past hour, such a tragedy this is. It was carrying a Pediatric patient.

https://x.com/SutcliffeDavid/status/1827441662315909256

Of course, I'm still a strong advocate of minimizing corruption as much humanly possible, while still not denying how serious and deep that issue goes

The funny thing about corrupt people (which we all are to some overt or subtle degree) getting rid of corruption, is like a rabbit trying to dig itself out of the hole that it's actively digging itself into

True, the thing is Leo, I understand to some degree your predicament (from your advanced and unique position) on how to best speak and give advice to the masses of young followers here on this forum, who are struggling to meet basic needs like getting their own place to live in, let alone start their own full-fledged business and be financially independent through it.

@Leo Gura Would love to hear your opinion on this, I notice that many youngsters here on this channel (which form the majority of followers in my opinion) are likely way far off from having the skills/stamina/maturity, etc to start their own businesses, and have the financial and creative independence that you have. In that case, the options left on the table, are for them to work a lame 9-5 job, earning minimum wage, or go to college, and learn some technical skills, or earn a bachelor's degree in something that can earn them an average or above average yearly salary, depending on how ambitious they are in developing their skills in that field. Or, if they really are ambitious, they can go college and study medicine/law and earn an above average 6-figure salary the path that I chose to took when I was 18 y/o.

@Leo Gura A relatively nuanced perspective from an Arab Israeli which I feel adds an important flavor to this debate.