this post was submitted on 08 Sep 2023
1331 points (97.6% liked)
Antiwork
9435 readers
15 users here now
-
We're trying to reduce the numbers of hours a person has to work.
-
We talk about the end of paid work being mandatory for survival.
Partnerships:
- Matrix/Element chatroom
- Discord (channel: #antiwork)
- IRC: #antiwork on IRCNow.org (i.e., connect to ircs://irc.ircnow.org and
/join #antiwork) - Your facebook group link here
- Your x link here
- lemmy.ca/c/antiwork
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I've seen an interesting documentary about the wealthy in Germany and how they generally differ from e.g. American wealthy. In Germany most of the wealthy pretend to not be that wealthy. They dress rather ordinarily and keep it lowkey. We don't even know how many of the richest Germans look like currently, because advertising wealth is not seen as positive here than in the United States.
Doesn't mean that the German wealthy are more virtous or anything, they're just keeping it down and are thus less bothered.
Most people strive to be seen as Mittelstand. Not poor, but not obscenely wealthy. Which lead to a funny episode where Friedrich Merz, head of the CDU and owner of two private jets, said in an interview that he was upper Mittelstand.
Agreed, my wealth is building, but I'm not well off. I don't want to be viewed as struggling, though in some respects I still am, and likely will be for some time. That said, I've spent the past 10 or so years really focussing on comfort above all else. I've got all the tools/toys I need for my hobbies, a stable and livable income (hard to come by these days) as well as growing savings and investments.
While I'm not well off, the only showy parts of my life are my vehicles. Everything is relatively low-key or intended purely for me, such as gaming rig, 3d printer etc.
As a former (and possibly returning) shiftworker, having multiple forms of transport is near compulsory due to my location and nearby infrastructure shortfalls.
Where convenient I will usually ride my skateboard (eskate) for shorter trips weather permitting, whereas for pleasure I have a motorcycle, and finally for inclement weather or when I need to carry items, the car.
Apart from these things, the only thing i could want for is to not be renting, I'm glad that is almost the only and largest difficulty currently facing me. I do not envy those less fortunate than I.
I love the word Mittelstand! That's wonderful.