It’s time to do another post about some of my favorite things I’ve watched, listened to, and read recently.
If you’re not interested in checking out my fantastic content recommendations but are yearning for something strictly finance-related, here’s a link to the main blog page where you can read past articles.
NOTE: The content is linked in the green titles.
So, here’s what I’ve been into:
The Tim Ferriss Show #576 - Morgan Housel
A 3-hour conversation podcast with my favorite writer where he talks about his career, views on money, and a myriad of other financial topics? Sign me up. I don’t have much more to say than that. If you read my newsletter you know that I quote Morgan Housel frequently. I value his perspective, and this podcast is full of nuggets of wisdom on money and investing.
One insight he shared is that between 1980 and 2010 40% of publicly-traded companies in the U.S. went bankrupt. Yet, the U.S. stock market still performed very well over that time because 7% of the stocks were massively successful. Picking those few companies that will outperform over the next couple of decades is a hard game to play.
Here are a few quotes I liked from the pod:
“Money is not spreadsheets. It’s dopamine and cortisol.”
“Risk is the odds that something will prevent you from reaching your goals.”
“All businesses are loosely functioning disasters that sometimes make money.”
“The grass is always greener on the side that’s fertilized with bullshit.”
Frugality vs. Extravagance by Ben Carlson
In this article, Ben compares the spending philosophies of a gas station attendant who amassed an $8 million fortune through frugal living and an energy trader on Wall Street whose life mission is to spend it all before he dies.
In his own words, the trader’s strategy is:
“Invest in experiences that yield long-lasting memories, always bear in mind that everyone’s health declines with age, give your money to your children before you die instead of saving for their inheritance, and learn to balance current enjoyment with later gratification.”
Most personal finance experts would disagree with the sentiment above and prefer the gas station attendant’s frugality to the extravagant spending of the Wall Street trader because most assume the only way to get ahead is through frugality. But is that the correct way to think about spending? Ben debates this in the article.
I typically stay in my lane when it comes to watching sports. I like what I like and I rarely deviate from that. So I never thought I would be even remotely interested in racing; however, I recently watched Netflix’s Formula 1 racing show and was enthralled by it.
Each season of Drive to Survive takes the previous year’s major moments and controversies from the F1 season and scales them down to bingeable reality-TV size. It’s as much about the interpersonal drama between drivers and teams as it is about the actual racing. The show works on so many levels. There’s competition, feuds, controversy, fast cars, big wrecks, amazing cinematography, and exotic venues. It’s like a luxurious traveling circus that you can’t stop watching.
This sci-fi thriller TV series on Apple TV+ follows a group of people who work for a menacing tech company called Lumon Industries. What’s unique about Lumon and these employees is they’ve decided to “sever” their work and home lives by having a computer chip implanted in their brains. By doing so, they're unable to access any of their memories from home while at work and vice versa.
The show then explores the consequences of such a procedure. How do the employees cope with only living half a life? Why would they choose to do such a thing? Why would a business want severed employees? What are they hiding? I found the show to be eerie, tense, and refreshingly original. The finale for the first season was one of the best finales I can remember watching in a long time. I can’t wait for season 2.
Everything Everywhere All At Once
I thought “Severance” was original, but Everything Everything Everywhere All At Once takes it to a completely different level. The movie is about a woman who runs a laundromat with her husband and isn’t pleased with how her life has turned out when all of a sudden she gets caught up in a multiversal war.
I realize the premise doesn’t make a lot of sense, but trust me, the movie is even weirder than it sounds. It’s definitely not for everyone. I’m not even sure what genre of movie it even is. It has comedy, absurd action sequences, and bizarre sci-fi concepts all wrapped into one story. But it uses its absurd premise to explore deep existential questions about life. The movie has a real emotional core about finding meaning, truth, and love in a world that’s difficult to understand.
I had such a fun experience watching it and I can’t stop thinking about it.
If you have any other content recommendations, feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email. I’d love to hear them!
Thanks for reading!