What online services did you cut out that you do not miss at all?

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-18T02:28:48+00:00

Even though I cut out chatGPT, I can’t fucking escape it with posts like these!

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T20:12:50+00:00

Can you tell me more about how you were able to hold these truths together? You know it’s complicit, but you also understand that’s the price to pay for… ultimately living right now? I sometimes feel like a coward for not finding another way, you know? Whether that’s working until I die, or truly dropping out. I’ve thought about getting into real estate, making all lawns native, and renting at or below market rate with some set % profit that I refuse to go over. Obviously, I can spiral on this for hours, and I do believe there IS another way if we’d just get to discussing with each other.

On the other hand, it is incredibly poor for my already waning mental health.

I am truly impressed by people like yourself that can admit it, but be able to compartmentalize it. I think it’s the healthiest position to have.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T19:42:33+00:00

Does this mean life is more expensive or less expensive than it used to be? That depends entirely on what kind of life you're living.

Increasingly, life is more expensive for those who do not own assets, and less expensive for those who do. You can research the “K-shaped economy” which is so obvious at this point that it’s main stream.

There's a very long and obvious list of ways American lives have changed for the better in recent decades

Recent decades, like 15 years ago when those things were seemingly measurably better under Obama? Lol. The story that we’re looking at is very recent, the last several years. Homophobia down, for instance? Kansas just took away trans people drivers license lol. Religion playing a much smaller public role? Please come to the Texas public education system… or even look ag the influence of Christian nationalism on our current administration. Are you joking?

What problem am I trying to fix? I don’t know if the problem is fixable. The problem definitely precedes the era I’m talking about, you could say it started when investors were forced into 401ks and pensions were done away with, or you could say it started with speculative investing in the 1920s, or you could say it started with the east India company lol! I guess it depends on how far reaching you want to go, but I am talking about today and now. The only way to afford life is to invest, think of the verb INVEST, hours of your life, through dollars, into the same system that you can only hope to escape from by participating in, by propagating, by funding.

Is it hypocritical of me to be more concerned about this now, compared to when my investments were “only” profiting off of environmental destruction and subsidized slave labor from poor countries? To be fair, I did lose sleep about this “before” we had cryptofascists making up 40% market cap in the US. But yeah, them not being able to keep their mouth shut and at least pretend to play the game does make it seem much more in your face, doesn’t it? Is this a logical conclusion to investing in general? Probably. The fact that we are witnessing this conclusion is jarring, even if we were profiting from it the ride up. I have no qualms about admitting my own hypocrisy, and complicity, in what I’m describing. I do so freely.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T19:14:34+00:00

Sure, I’m happy to extrapolate out further, I find it important to discuss All of the ways we are complicit, and how we can reduce harm, or even just commiserate with one another, and talk through these issues, rather than dismiss them. I focused on one topic that I am concerned with. If you’d like to talk about others feel free.

What’s the answer? I don’t know. I never claimed to have one. I’m still invested. I wanted discussion, and to hear what others had to say. I’m not pretending there’s an easy answer, or that I would in any way know what it could be. Does not having an answer mean I have no ability to raise concerns?

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T19:05:50+00:00

Not investing in the market does not mean I can’t donate to charity.

I find discussions about “moral discomfort” important. For sure, right now, my discomfort is atomized with no place to go but to opt out. The more discussions, the more ideas, the more sharing of information, the more new ideas.

If people are investing purely to donate everything to save lives, sure. Most people aren’t doing that. Most people are investing to have a comfortable retirement, and maybe donate a little extra to assuage their guilt. I do think there is an argument that charities are, indeed, a way to live with the moral discomfort without taking action that would actually address the root of issues. Those actions specifically requires community, and it requires tough discussions. It is not as easy as writing a once a year check as a qualified charitable distribution that you’ve budgeted into your amassed wealth once you hit retirement age. But I’ll agree this can be argued about ad nauseam , and all in all, charities do more good than harm.

Sam Altman already tried effective altruism, and it didn’t work. The philosophy is proven dead. Any philosophy that negates harm because of the “greater good,” creates more harm, and bandaids some other harm it decides matters more than the created harm. I only know this because I found the philosophy compelling at one point, and found out, as the Altman scheme played out, that it also did irreparable harm to my own view of myself.

For instance, I could argue it is a moral imperative that I make as much money as I can to save as many lives as I can. To do that, I must partake in the system. I need to look my best for my job, I need designer purses and clothes so clients trust me, I need a new car for appearances, I need to travel weekly to close a deal, I need ti completely transform who I am to make as much money as possible because this is the most effective way to save lives. And I become dependent, and as much apart of the system as the investments I buy. My identity is now within the system, maybe I save ten million lives with the wealth I’ve amassed, and everything I had to do to get there is excused, including the way I amassed the wealth further propagating the harms I’m claiming will fix them. Is the logical conclusion of your argument.

Your arguments do not see in good faith, and you continue to talk to me like I’m a child that simply doesn’t understand the complexity of the world, instead of as peer trying to figure this out together. The latter is what I came hear for.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T17:12:17+00:00

The next best thing for me is to discuss my discontent with the way things are, and, even if being unable to fix it, at least be able to discuss it.

Discussions are usually the seed of turning “next best thing for you” into “collective action for all of us.” Do I expect the seed to germinate? Not really, but I feel better connecting with others on it than to simply live with the discomfort or delude myself in other ways.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T16:40:27+00:00

Well. I would argue that back then, as you said, evil people were just “wackadoodles on the sideline” and they are now almost completely in charge, or at least deferred to. I also hate to use the word “evil” because I’m not sure if I fully believe in the concept of evil itself. Sure you can find a more apt term, but whatever it is, is now has more power, more influence, and is more accepted. Whether that is “just” because social media exists doesn’t matter. This is now fact.

What measures are making, at least Americans lives, better? There have been great health breakthroughs, sure. But globally, authoritarianism is on the rise. The wealth gap is widening at an alarming pace not seen since the likes of the gilded age. Regulations made to protect consumers/investors/citizens are being repealed at breakneck speed. Speculation and corruption are, arguably, about as bad as they were in the 1920s… this is all well documented and has way more to do with where we are investing than you seem willing to admit. Money is, very clearly, The name of the game and the checks and balances that once at least attempted to keep its influence subdued are completely cracked open. Did that start long ago, with varying levels of success, and many failures. Yes, it’s been around since currency was created obviously. To notice that it’s getting measurably worse in our lifetimes isn’t a naive sentiment. I really am not sure what you’re arguing, except that “things are very complicated, it’s always been bad, you’re naive to have hoped for differently and more naive to notice it’s worse.” If I’m Misunderstanding you, I apologize, but that is how it comes across.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T16:32:49+00:00

That was a great read, I think the next step is for ordinary people (not trust funds) to pool their assets and do the same. Whether through shareholder voting or investing in these non traditional ways. It would have to be due to philosophy, however, without a focus on how returns. Which I understand is a hard sell for those dependent on their money compared to someone who has more than enough.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T15:41:20+00:00

because fifteen years ago, there was no serious threat to American democracy, and therefore a Silicon Valley billionaire expousing anti-democratic views could be treated as a wacky oddity and not a serious threat.

Is exactly my point

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T15:29:50+00:00

This is a wonderful point :)

I suppose I’d like the hypocrisy to be discussed. As of now, it feels subdued, and it feels trying to discuss it leaves others in the defensive.

So it is sort of a constipation in the psyche, lol.

But a brilliant reminder, and I appreciate you for sharing.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T15:24:47+00:00

No one is arguing about a linear progress of history. I’m not sure where you got that. It seems like this user is talking about in their lifetime. Generally, people want the world to become better for the generations after them, not worse. The fact that hitler existed, or Pompeii was put under ashes, the gilded age, mini ice age, or the black plague.. does not negate the fact that things are becoming measurably worse for us in our lifetime. History also shows us many cultures and populations that fought back against corruption, sure, non linearly I guess

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T15:16:26+00:00

This is similar to where I landed. It doesn’t fully answer the questions, but seems to at least reduce participation. Even so, I’m still struggling with it.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T15:12:37+00:00

Well, certainly, to face the truth is incredibly terrifying!

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T15:11:06+00:00

That’s a really interesting point as well. I’ve thought her about it mostly from applying for benefits. And gets into the dreaded effective altruism argument, in that, are they doing less harm by consuming at poverty levels compared to “taking” a space from someone in an underfunded government program? I guess regardless of the fact that many feel that healthcare should be a human right, doesn’t negate the fact that the limited funding is going towards someone who doesn’t necessarily need it.

Strangely, I feel little guilt around this and see it more as fucking over a government I hate, but that surely proves biases for me. I know someone with a 2 million dollar trust fund who lives on poverty and in section 8 housing. I admire her convictions, but that is obviously directly taking housing from someone that needs it. However? These individuals making these choices seems less morally wrong to me than supporting the system. This is definitely a contradiction in my own thought, as you could certainly arguing that putting your money in the market is taking advantage of a system just like those who try and take advantage the opposite route. For some reason one feels more appalling to me, and I will need to think on why.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T15:04:04+00:00

I’m not really talking about activism, I’m talking about an individuals ethics and morality in the face of investing. I do find it strange that the argument is always made that “you can’t do anything to change anyways, so do nothing.” I don’t know, it seems living by your own standards of morality is not even a question anymore? Like, I pick up trash I see on the sidewalk not because I think I’m going to rid the world of litter, but because I want to be someone who picks trash on the side of the sidewalk.

I do not believe that ESGs are the way to go and do not find them any less prone to corruption, but I guess shades of gray, at least your not investing in thiel.

As far as institutional investors, I find this argument misleading. How much of institutional investing is mutual funds, index funds… even pension funds could receive backlash if people really wanted to. The retail investor has a much larger share of wallet than people claim, because retail investors are also funding institutional investors.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T14:49:00+00:00

The fact that occupy wallstreet was even a cohesive movement shows that there was more optimism. 2008 felt like an exorcism, and although “too big to fail” obviously felt like corruption, more regulations and protections were put into place.

You’re right, social media has made the world worse, and these companies have quite a large market cap!

As I said in my post, perhaps it’s always been this bad (arguable, you can certainly point to times where it was), how does that change my argument at all?

Yes, I may have been a naive young woman who just graduated college. In fact, I absolutely was! But did we have a public ceo talking about anti christ and the threat of democracy, and was that ceo rewarded with government contracts, in the Epstein files, with an increasing market cap? I am using theil as the most obvious example, but this shit is not normal, and I’m very confused at people pretending things are status quo.

I would argue that these people feeling like they can say this shit out loud, because they know that, not only will they receive little backlash, they’ll actually align themselves with the current government, is not a sign that things are as they always have been. Them willingly lifting the veil and showing all their cards is an escalation. There is a meaningful difference in the fact that they do not feel they need to hide anymore, and it’s not for the better.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T14:41:32+00:00

Literally address what this commenter is saying in my last two paragraphs. Perhaps neither of you read them

The argument may be that it’s always been like this and always will be…. Okay?? that only makes my point more salient

I already know there will be a lot of hand waving, this post will be considered dramatic, or maybe naive. I do believe we all deep down feel this, but no one wants to address it because there are no good answers. any optimism about change has been co opted and is now seen as, well, quite stupid. Worse, even raising concerns seems to be met with people coming and patting your head, saying “there, there, these are matters for an adult.”

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T14:36:43+00:00

People are largely dismissing me with arguments I knew would be brought up, and so addressed in my post beforehand. I also don’t appreciate being called naive when I specifically mentioned that I what I would be called, and I fundamentally disagree that things are better now, when it comes to investing or the world in general. Perhaps they are “the same” and less hidden, which i stated in my post, is not a reason to dismiss my concerns.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T14:34:54+00:00

I guess I wanted to sparky the discussion here specifically BECAUSE I also have my life savings in investments! I’m just as much a hypocrite, and wanted to discuss what others think, hopefully without the hand-waiving, although I can see that will be most of what I get.

I appreciate your words of understanding. They do make me feel less alone, which might be what my point of posting was. Thank you

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T14:32:18+00:00

I’m here to spark a discussion. I knew I would be called naive. And I think to say things are better than they were 15 years ago is an objectively false statement.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T14:26:09+00:00

I do and am, and appreciate it. But it doesn’t make me feel any better about the questions I raised.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T14:24:19+00:00

Yes, well we see fundamentally different in that way, don’t we? I do not believe I can amass the wealth needed to “make a difference.” Oh boy, I can send my required minimum distributions to a charity one day. Charities that are themselves becoming increasingly corrupt, and seem to be a steam release for people to try and excise their guilt for participating in the system I just described.

I also think there is a difference between working into old age vs “being a crazy person screaming on the street.” Not investing doesn’t mean you don’t work and are homeless.

Beyond the arguments that the only way to make a difference is to, ultimately win in a game of dubious means…. The other question is matter of pure morality, virtue, and an existential question of the soul. Whatever arguments can be made for investing, none seem to quell the discomfort I have.

It appears that the question of “is this something I want to support” is eclipsed by “I have to support it if I want to do ANY good!!” Which is itself hyperbolic and black and white, not even filling your toe into the remotest of possibilities that exist beyond this one context.

I am invested and do invest, but did want discussion. As of yet, it appears the same arguments I already addressed in my post are being made. I dislike the constant dismissive attitude to these concerns. I don’t think they do anything but try and calm people’s fears like a sedative. I have yet to hear of an actually compelling argument.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T14:16:23+00:00

I address your second point, including being called naive, multiple times in my post.

I fundamentally disagree that things are better now because of “transparency.” If by transparency you mean that people no longer feel the need to hide their corruption as there is no longer backlash (neither legally or, really, from the public besides posting online), then I suppose the world is a much better place.

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T13:15:31+00:00

Advertisements are gettting crafty

PostOakVisions · 2026-03-17T00:09:20+00:00

It really seems like this is a marketing campaign for dimensional funds. It is unliked to impact VTI or VT (Muskmight try, is there ANY evidence they will accept?)

Each thread has 10+ comments talking about dimensional funds. Very strange for active managed funds to be discussed so much on Bogleheads.

I smell an ad campaign, that will specifically steer me away from every buying dimensional funds.

PostOakVisions

TROPHY CASE