The Age of Loud and Wrong
Stupidity used to be obvious. The guy who stuck a fork in a light socket. The neighbor who invested his life savings in a "sure thing" because some guy at a bar told him about it. There was a clarity to it. A cause and effect. Now, stupidity is slippery. It wears a suit. It has a verified account. It speaks in the right buzzwords, retweets the right opinions, and knows just enough to be dangerous.
It’s not that people are getting dumber; it’s that the world makes it easier than ever to feel smart while knowing nothing. We have access to infinite information but no time to process it. We consume headlines, not articles. Hot takes, not analysis. We mistake speed for accuracy, volume for truth, confidence for competence. The guy who reads one Wikipedia page and suddenly has strong opinions on international policy isn’t an outlier—he’s the blueprint.
This isn’t entirely our fault. The system is built to keep us in a permanent state of mild ignorance. Every app, every platform, every news cycle is designed to keep us scrolling, clicking, reacting. Outrage is easier than understanding. Certainty is more marketable than doubt. And so we float through the world, forming half-baked opinions on things we barely understand, mistaking engagement for insight, collecting facts like trinkets rather than using them to build anything meaningful.
The worst part? It feels like thinking. It feels like participating. You read, you react, you post. You feel a brief rush of righteousness, of being on the right side of something. But real thinking is slow. It’s uncomfortable. It requires sitting with doubt, resisting the urge to immediately categorize everything as right or wrong, good or bad, my team or their team. It means accepting that most issues are complicated, that most people aren’t villains, and that sometimes, the correct answer is “I don’t know.”
But who has time for that? Modern life moves at the speed of distraction. If you’re not reacting, you’re falling behind. If you’re not constantly reaffirming your identity—political, moral, cultural—who even are you? The internet has turned beliefs into brands, and once you’ve invested in one, changing your mind feels like bad marketing.
So we stay where we are. We mistake familiarity for truth. We listen to the voices that make us feel smart, that confirm what we already believe. We build our little worlds out of opinions that were handed to us, convinced we arrived at them on our own. And maybe that’s the worst kind of stupidity—the kind that doesn’t know it’s stupid. The kind that would rather be wrong forever than admit it was ever fooled.
But there’s another option. You can slow down. You can resist the pull of easy outrage, easy certainty, easy tribalism. You can step outside your bubble and let your brain do what it was meant to do: think, question, wonder. Not for clout, not to win an argument, not to prove anything—just because it’s the only way to stay human in a world that would rather you weren’t.
Dear Dad
Did you ever think all those names you called me growing up wouldn't affect me?.
You were meant to be my Dad protect me, encourage me.
Why did you do that? To make me strong? Or was it your own insecurities coming out over the way your Father treated you?
Did you ever truly love me? Or would you just say the words and not mean them? I love you.
Why Dad why?
Comprehensive Debt Freedom Strategy
First Steps
1. Assess Your Situation
- List ALL debts with:
* Total amounts
* Interest rates
* Minimum payments
* Due dates
* Current status
2. Calculate Total Debt
- Credit cards
- Personal loans
- Student loans
- Car loans
- Mortgage
- Medical bills
- Any other obligations
3. Create a Budget
- Track all income sources
- List all expenses
- Categorize spending:
* Essential (needs)
* Non-essential (wants)
* Debt payments
Immediate Actions
1. Stop Creating New Debt
- Freeze/cut up credit cards
- Remove stored payment info
- Delete shopping apps
- Avoid new loans
- Use cash/debit only
2. Build Emergency Fund
- Start with $1,000
- Prevent new debt
- Keep separate from checking
- Use only for true emergencies
- Replenish if used
3. Reduce Expenses
- Cancel subscriptions
- Lower utility costs
- Reduce entertainment
- Shop with lists only
- Use coupons/sales
- Cook at home
- Find free activities
Debt Repayment Strategies
1. Avalanche Method
- Pay minimum on all debts
- Extra money to highest interest
- Continue until debt-free
- Most cost-effective method
2. Snowball Method
- Pay minimum on all debts
- Extra money to smallest balance
- Build momentum
- Psychological wins
3. Hybrid Approach
- Combine methods based on:
* Motivation needs
* Interest rates
* Balance sizes
* Cash flow
Income Maximization
1. Primary Job
- Ask for raise
- Seek promotion
- Work overtime
- Learn new skills
- Change employers
2. Side Hustles
- Delivery services
- Online freelancing
- Pet sitting
- Teaching/tutoring
- Selling items
- Part-time work
3. One-Time Money
- Tax refunds
- Bonuses
- Inheritances
- Gift money
- Sale of assets
Negotiation Tactics
1. Credit Card Companies
- Request lower rates
- Ask about hardship programs
- Negotiate settlements
- Balance transfer options
- Payment plans
2. Medical Bills
- Review for errors
- Ask for itemized bills
- Negotiate total amount
- Setup payment plans
- Seek financial assistance
3. Student Loans
- Income-driven repayment
- Deferment options
- Forbearance
- Loan consolidation
- Forgiveness programs
Professional Help
1. Credit Counseling
- Free consultations
- Budget assistance
- Debt management plans
- Educational resources
- Reputable agencies only
2. Debt Consolidation
- Compare rates
- Read fine print
- Calculate total cost
- Consider pros/cons
- Research lenders
3. Legal Options
- Bankruptcy consultation
- Consumer protection
- Debt collection rights
- Legal aid resources
- Last resort options
Lifestyle Changes
1. Shopping Habits
- 24-hour rule
- Need vs. want
- Price comparisons
- Cash envelope system
- No impulse buying
2. Financial Education
- Read money books
- Follow finance blogs
- Take free courses
- Learn budgeting
- Understand credit
3. Support System
- Share goals
- Find accountability
- Join support groups
- Seek mentorship
- Celebrate progress
Long-Term Success
1. Stay Motivated
- Track progress
- Celebrate milestones
- Visualize goals
- Remember why
- Stay focused
2. Prevent Relapse
- Maintain emergency fund
- Live below means
- Continue budgeting
- Save regularly
- Avoid old habits
3. Build Wealth
- Start investing
- Retirement planning
- Build savings
- Multiple income streams
- Financial goals
Warning Signs
Watch For:
1. Missing payments
2. Using savings for bills
3. Credit limit increases
4. Minimum payments only
5. Collection calls
Resources
1. Free Tools
- Budgeting apps
- Debt calculators
- Credit monitoring
- Financial planners
- Educational materials
2. Government Help
- Student loan programs
- Housing assistance
- Credit counseling
- Consumer protection
- Legal aid
Remember:
- Progress takes time
- Small wins add up
- Stay consistent
- Ask for help
- Don't give up
Success comes from:
1. Clear plan
2. Consistent action
3. Lifestyle changes
4. Support system
5. Long-term commitment
Today is my 60th birthday
Today, I am going to revel in the wonderment I made it this far.
Later today, I am going to reread everything I have ever published.
Tomorrow, I am going to begin the second chapter of my unfinished life.
Tentatively entitled, "My New Bucket List."
Then start knocking it off, one by one.
Thanks - Andy Betz.
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May 28, 2024
A man with a plan
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Bankrupt of succor
Finds surplus 25 strict
Thinks most will also
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Singular complication
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Stay cognizant of
Implications and backlash
From such thoughts from all
Focus on your goal
Your ink sans a fifth symbol
Spawns your own story