Flex Culture is Not for Me
and it most likely shouldn’t be it for you either.
Good morning, everyone
Today I have a semi-controversial topic I want to talk about—Flex Culture and how it can drain your wallet and mental health.
What is Flex Culture?
the act of outperforming peers by purchasing goods or services to display one's wealth, fashionability and social status.
It might sound like a new concept but believe me, this has been around since the creation of possessions and ego.
It’s not hard to open up TikTok or Instagram and see thousands of happy people living a better life than you are. This is, of course, a lie. The problem with social media is that it allows us to construct a false narrative about ourselves and others.
When you crave validation from others, it can create destructive money habits, leading to a spiral of many other bad habits. People often spend money on things like clothes and jewelry or bars and restaurants almost every night. And hey, you might live like this, and there’s nothing wrong with it on the outside. It’s what most of society does because most of society wants to be accepted by each other.
I’m trying to encourage that your lifestyle now should match up with your future self’s goals.
I’m not sure if saving money or having kids is important to you or not. But if it is, let’s look at something amazing on the chart below.
(I love bringing up compound interest charts because humans have a hard time conceptualzing long time frames and expenctial growth. But if you see it over and over again it might help.)
If you can save an extra $200/month more and invest it since your child's birth, they will be a millionaire by the time they are 50.
This might have no practicality to you, and that’s alright. But for some, this might be the reality check you need. $200/month is around $7/day. If you don’t think you can manage that, it’s totally fine. But the reason better not be that you just bought another pair of shoes or a $10 cocktail last night. I understand everyone will have fun and live their lives, but it won’t hurt to check yourself and make sure you are on the right path.
The Ground Breaking Solution:
This might sound wild at first, but it is easy to stop caring about what others think and stop needing their validation.
Have something better to care about.
If you have goals and dreams more important than now, brushing off distractions is not that hard. Most people on their deathbed dont think about the purse they bought when they were 20 or the vintage jacket they just had to have in their 30s. Instead, you’ll find that most people say what truly made them happy was being a part of something greater than themselves.
That’s precisely what you need to be searching for. Having something better to care about, Because if you let other people be what makes you happy, you’re more often than not going to be broke and sad. Maybe just one or the other, but they often come as a pair.
I hope that the next time you go on a shopping frenzy, you consider what you read here and ask yourself if you are doing what’s best for you because that’s what matters. Have a fantastic day, and share this post with a friend if you feel like it!