the agenda
It is said that people find it easier to talk about sex than they do about money. Money is complicated. Too little can make us feel worthless, too much can make us seem selfish, shallow or excessively consumerist. Sharing particulars about our financial lives can prompt jealousy or retribution by colleagues at work, demands for support by loved ones with a sense of entitlement, or prompt personal character evaluations based on how we choose to spend it.
The result? Specifics when discussing money typically remain off limits. This may protect us from the judgement of others, but it also results in a dangerous ignorance of the many different realities revolving around money. When we look to models/examples of how we want to live with our available resources, we work from limited information or precedents tainted by the ‘pimped up/fake news’ domain of social media.
Have questions or suggestions for further event topics? Or are you registered for an event and cannot find us? Drop a message in our signal group here and we’ll help you out!
Many thanks to the 26 participants who joined us. Interested in what we talked about and the survey results? Check ’em out here!
NEW THIS TIME AROUND: an info gathering survey!
1. EXTERNAL FACTORS: How much do the following factors play in your financial dealings?
- dependants (partner, children, aging parents)
- future aspirations (continuing studies, funding business ideas, creative enterprises, etc.)
- lifestyle (owning real estate, purchasing yacht, retaining a harem, etc.)
- anxiety about the apocalypse (preppin’ is the new normal!)
2. SELF-WORTH/ EXISTENTIAL BASICS
- My basic existence has at some point been threatened due to lack of money (ie. long-term unemployment / lack of family support)
- My sense of self worth has changed based on changing income
3. STRUGGLING AND SAVING: how much money do you try to save a month?
- 0 (don’t have the option)
- 0 (don’t feel the need)
- 50-100€
- 100-500€
- 500€ -1000€
- 1000€+
4. LIFESTYLE: Beyond the basics, what do you use your money for? (ie: subscriptions, entertainment, clothing/vanity, travel)(one word answers ideal here)
5. INCOME: How much do you earn per month? (freelancers can average across a 12 month period)
- have no estimate but it’s not enough
- 0-1000€/month
- 1000€-2000€/month
- 2000€-3000€/month
- 3000€+/month
- I live off investments/family support/inheritance etc.
have no estimate but it’s a lot
This month we’ll be joining forces with The Discussion Experiment. The Discussion Experiment is a series of events where a structured exchange ensures that all participants are given equal footing in a public conversation setting. The group gathers perspectives on a given topic and collectively examines where they agree and disagree. Core ideas are posted to a mind map to create a visual reference point for subsequent discussion. This format of discourse is a work-in-progress by Igor Don; each event he has held over the past 3 years has revealed new insights on how to improve his method and make group interactions more fruitful. More info here.
Since we are two different event organisers with our own audiences and formats, there will be more of us and moderating may involve limiting longer contributions. That said, initial structured conversation will be followed by the usual open discussion familiar to taboo regulars. Thanks for taking part in our experiment!