The Voluntary Life

An episode about how to use mind maps as a productivity tool to plan any project and support your creative thinking. Show Notes: The Mind Map Book by Tony Buzan iThoughts Exporting Omnifocus Tasks To Mind Maps Script Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

If you are investing towards financial freedom, you face a decision: which asset classes should you put your money in? This episode is about one of the main asset classes: fixed-income securities, or bonds. Bonds can behave in strange ways as an investment, especially in times when interest rates are very low (as they are at present). I'm not a financial advisor and this episode is just my opinions, so you will need to do your own research, but this episode will give you food for thought. Show Notes: Support The Voluntary Life on Patreon and get Bonus episodes!

How could you apply the 80/20 Principle to parenting? In this episode, Jake answers this question using evidence from a fascinating empirical study into how childhood experiences can impact your health and wellbeing for the rest of your life. Show Notes: Support The Voluntary Life on Patreon ACE Study Wiki Page Explanation of ACE Study CDC page on ACE Study

Many people who are interested in personal freedom and self-improvement find value in an approach to negotiation called Nonviolent Communication (NVC). In this episode, I provide an assessment of NVC, outlining aspects that I find useful, problems with the approach, and some misconceptions of the framework. Show Notes: Become a patron of TVL Nonviolent Communication By Marshall Rosenberg Psychology Book Club Episode on NVC NVC wikipedia page Getting To Yes by Fischer and Ury Parent Effectiveness Training by Thomas Gordon TVL Review of Better Angels of Our Nature Economics and Ethics of Private Property by Hans Hermann Hoppe

In this episode I explain what I've learned from my favourite TV show and why I recommend that you watch it if you are an entrepreneur or are interested in business. The Profit is an MSNBC show about entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis investing in small businesses. Show Notes: The Profit Marcus Lemonis What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

James Davis is a great example of an "unjobber". His unconventional work life has included making money as a professional poker player, transforming a children's summer camp, and starting an online fantasy sports business. In this interview, James talks about how he successfully pursued the unjobbing lifestyle and how you can do so too. Show Notes: James' businesses discussed in the show: Camp Stomping Ground, Longacre , and DFSR Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

In this episode, Jake talks about growing up with a view of marriage as an outdated tradition with negative connotations, and how his view changed as he came to understand the positive reasons to get married. Whatever your current view of marriage, this discussion will give you food for thought. Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

The Estonian E-Residency program is worth considering for anyone running a business online as a digital nomad. In this episode I explain the background to e-residency, how the application process works, and what the benefits are. Show Notes: E-Residency Application Page Xolo.io (formerly Leapin.EU) (Use my referral code: "Jake" for a discount) Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! The tiny house movement is relevant for anyone interested in minimalism, frugal living, and a travel-oriented lifestyle. In this interview, Link Wilcox talks about her project to build a tiny house. Show Notes: Link's Website TVL Patreon Website

Jake's speech at the Freecoast Festival 2017, presenting five ways to live the voluntary life: Rational Thinking Personal Freedom Peaceful Parenting Financial Independence Internationalisation Show Notes: Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! The Freecoast Festival

What does forgiveness mean? What is it for? Should you forgive others in order to be free? Or is the idea of forgiveness a trap? Check out the episode to find out more! Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! This episode answers questions from TVL listeners on the topic of investing in stocks. It provides an introduction to low-cost, passive investing with index funds. When choosing investment funds, a key issue for passive investors is the expense ratio. This episode explains the huge difference between average expense ratios and those of low-cost funds. I am not a financial advisor. This episode is about what I've learned as an individual investor but, as always, you will need to do your own research. Show Notes: Vanguard Fail-Safe Investing by Harry Browne

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! This episode is about suggestions for implementing a weekly review for productivity. It is a conversation from the patron-only livestream that I do with supporting listeners every month. You will find it helpful if you are interested in implementing or upgrading your own weekly review habit. Show Notes: The GTD Virtual Study Group Podcast Become a Patron of The Voluntary Life

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! This week's episode is a discussion with Hannah Braime about a very interesting book called Against Therapy by Jeffrey Masson. We recorded this for the Psychology Book Club Podcast. I'm including it on The Voluntary Life because it is highly relevant to everyone interested in self-knowledge and psychological freedom. Show Notes: Psychology Book Club Podcast Against Therapy by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson The Assault On Truth by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson One Nation Under Therapy by Christina Hoff Summers

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! This episode presents some very interesting data on the average age of entrepreneurs when they start their first business. You might find the results surprising... The research cited is the Kauffman Foundation study in the US and the Sandler Training study in the UK.

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! This episode presents the implicit principles that underpin non-peaceful parenting, and contrasts them with the principles of peaceful parenting that was discussed in Episode 278. Show Notes: Episode 272 Why I Choose Peaceful Parenting Episode 278 Three Principles Of Philosophy Applied To Parenting

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! Is unselfishness a virtue? Or is the idea of unselfishness a trap used to prevent you from living your own life? What is selfishness anyway? This week's episode is about different theories of selfishness, including Harry Browne's idea of the unselfishness trap and an alternative definition of selfishness by Oscar Wilde. Show Notes: Become A Patron of The Voluntary Life

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! This week's episode is a response to this listener email: "I am very close to the financial independence. I have listened to some podcasts you have on the topic, but I still have some doubts. I know that my parents will not understand why I am not getting up every morning to go to the office. I know that my friends will ask about my next professional challenges and why I decided to quit. I cannot mention the financial independence because it will generate envy, and that is not a comfortable situation. Is lying the only solution? Or breaking up with your parents, brothers and friends?" Show Notes: The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley TVL Episode 189— Envy: A Theory Of Social Behaviour By Helmut Schoek

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! There is a saying in investing that "cash is trash", because cash provides such low returns and loses value owing to inflation. Yet every investor has to deal with cash in some way and there is always some role for cash within a portfolio. So how much of your net worth should you have in cash? Why hold it? When should you rebalance in and out of cash? Harry Browne thought carefully about the role of cash with his permanent portfolio strategy. His insights on cash are useful for all investors, regardless of your particular approach. In this episode I explain the role of cash in investing from a permanent portfolio strategy perspective. As always, your money is your own responsibility. I am not a financial advisor. Show Notes: Become A Patron of The Voluntary Life Fail-Safe Investing by Harry Browne

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! This week's episode is a response to this listener email: "I've been a long term listener, but honestly I'm having a difficult time [seeing why I should be] a paid subscriber. I listen to several podcasts and a similar characteristic seems to be FI and hosts who are millionaires. Provide real value for those who don't enjoy that status and the money will come. There's too many of us who want to be financially independent but don't have a system to get there. Figure out a way to teach the methods and you'll never have to ask for donations." The Voluntary Life now has a Patreon page! In the first week of TVL on Patreon, my patrons have received: The first exclusive patron podcast episode (How To Sort Your Life Out Part 2) An Evernote template for Areas of Responsibility from my own productivity system Behind-the-scenes information about the running costs of the podcast Three e-books by Jake And lots more! Become a Patron today to get all these goodies and more to come, including this week's patron-only episode, "How To Do A Daily Review". Show Notes: The Voluntary Life Patreon Page

Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards! The Areas of Responsibility framework is a very powerful productivity technique for sorting your life out. It helps me answer questions such as: What am I doing with my life, and why? Is what I am doing right now a good use of my time? What should I devote my efforts to in order to build the life I want? In this episode, I introduce Areas of Responsibility and explain how to start implementing them. I've also got some big developments to tell you about. I want to completely upgrade The Voluntary Life, provide a whole new range of bonus content, and enable new ways for you to connect with me and other supporting listeners. Please help me by becoming a patron of the show and supporting me with a monthly amount of your choosing, through Patreon. Sign up and get your bonuses now at patreon.com/thevoluntarylife The first bonus episode has already been recorded and it goes deeper into the same theme as this one, as Part 2 of How To Sort Your Life out. Show Notes: The Voluntary Life Patreon Page TVL 232 The Next Level — Horizons of Focus Part 1 (School Sucks Interview) TVL 185 How To Set Meaningful Goals For The Year Ahead

"Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals. In particular non-stupid people constantly forget that at all times and places and under any circumstances to deal and/or associate with stupid people always turns out to be a costly mistake." Carlo Cipolla In the 1970s, an economic historian called Carlo Cipolla wrote a provocative article titled "The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity". His theory emphasises the destructiveness of stupid behaviour, and explains why it is so underestimated and misunderstood. Show Notes: The Basic Laws Of Human Stupidity by Carlo M. Cipolla The Five Universal Laws Of Stupidity by Corrine Purtill Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

This week's episode features Hannah and me discussing our move to Girona. We talk about adapting to a travel lifestyle with a baby, the challenges of minimalism and travel, beautiful Girona as an expat location, and many more topics! Show Notes: Hannah Braime TVL 254: Perpetual Travel With Kids Part 1: Interview With Go Curry Cracker Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

A response to this interesting listener question: "Hi Jake, I would like to hear your thoughts on making the decision to have a child. I am 33 years old, and there are lots of expectations on this one. I find it difficult to escape this identity trap and to know for myself if I want to become a parent or not. I know it's a BIG one, and it is personal, but your podcast is probably the only place which talks about parenting from a unique perspective different than the norm. I will be curious to hear your view, especially as a new parent." Show Notes: Episode 290: Escaping The Identity Trap Episode 283: Minimalism and Parenting (Featuring Hannah Braime) Episode 268: Family Pressure, Expensive Weddings, And Kids Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

The identity trap is an idea from Harry Browne's book How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World. Harry suggested that some widely held assumptions about life are false. By accepting such false assumptions, you lose your freedom. He called these false assumptions "traps". The identity trap is the belief that you should be the person that others want you to be, rather than being yourself. There are two key questions to ask yourself in order to escape the identity trap. Listen to the episode to find out more. Show Notes: TVL Episode Discussing How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World by Harry Browne Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

This weeks episode is about how to manage your own productivity system for getting things done. It comes from an interview that I did a while ago on the Valiant Growth podcast. In the interview, I talk about various techniques for managing your own productivity system, including: The different components of a productivity system Undertaking regular reviews Choosing between different productivity tools, such a task-management apps and paper-based systems. Show Notes: Valiant Growth Podcast Episode 258 Getting Started With Productivity Systems (Valiant Growth Interview) All Previous Productivity Episodes

A response to this listener question: "From what I gather, for much of your 20s and 30s you worked very hard on building your business and for long hours each day. It has clearly paid off for you, as you've sold the business and enjoyed many years of financial independence. But is this something you'd recommend for younger people? What's the best way of thinking about the work/life balance at that stage of life? I find myself thinking, what if I worked extremely hard for many years and died in a freak accident before I'd got to have significant life experiences? It may seem like pessimism, but to focus almost entirely on ones work must require some delayed gratification, unless your truly love your work. Similar issues are involved with extreme saving. I thought you might have some good insights about the sort of questions to ask yourself to get a better understanding of how to approach this." Show Notes: Job Free by Jake Desyllas Mr Money Mustache Early Retirement Extreme Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

Simon writes for digital nomads, perpetual travellers, and location independent entrepreneurs on his blog Freedom Surfer. In this interview, he talks about his own journey to location independence and his thoughts on the pros and cons of this lifestyle. He explains how he tackles the practical challenges of perpetual travel, such as business formation, banking, and taxation. Show Notes: Freedom Surfer Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

In this week's episode, my guest Sebastian Kühn talks about the benefits and challenges of running a location-independent business. He shares his own experiences setting up businesses in Hong Kong and Estonia, as well as his thoughts on the Estonian E-Residency program. Sebastian Kühn is a the author of a website for digital nomads called Wireless Life. Show Notes: Wireless Life Recording of Sebastian's Webinar on Estonian E-Residency and Business Formation Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

This week's episode is a review of David Allen's book, Making It All Work. This book is about applying principles of productivity beyond work, to life as a whole. The review is a discussion between myself and Chris Stefanick taken from Chris' podcast, Choice Conversations. Show Notes: Choice Conversations Making It All Work by David Allen How To Read A Book by Mortimer Adler Other episodes on productivity Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

It is not often that Hollywood makes movies which explore real business challenges. The Founder is a movie about how Ray Kroc created a global restaurant franchise from a small business started by the MacDonald brothers. This podcast episode is about what entrepreneurs can learn from the ideas shown in the movie. Show Notes: The Founder (Movie) Fact Checking The Founder Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc Becoming An Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

Does becoming a parent mean giving up a minimalist lifestyle? In this episode Hannah and Jake discuss their experience of minimalism and parenting. Some of the topics covered include: Baby-wearing as an alternative to prams Co-sleeping as an alternative to cots Breastfeeding and baby-led weaning as alternative to bottle feeding and baby foods Buying second-hand stuff for babies How attachment parenting and respectful parenting fit in with minimalism Show Notes: Hannah Braime Examples of Baby Wearing (baby carriers) Co-Sleeping With Infants (University of Notre Dame) Breastfeeding and baby-led attachment Sleeping Like A Baby: Simple Sleep Solutions for Infants and Toddlers by Pinky McKay The Fourth Trimester by Susan Brink The Attachment Parenting Book by William Sears Baby-led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food by Gill Rapley Brain Rules For Baby by John Medina Your Self-Confident Baby by Magda Gerber Information on risks of second hand mattresses Unruffled Podcast by Janet Lansbury The Philosophical Baby by Alison Gopnick Previous episodes on parenting Previous episodes on minimalism Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

Jake is interviewed on The Sample Hour podcast with the host, Drew Sample. We had a wide-ranging discussion covering options for living a job-free life, productivity, minimalism as a parent, and motivation— including the fear that motivates me. Show Notes: The Sample Hour Job Free by Jake Desyllas Becoming An Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

In this episode, I respond to listener feedback about peaceful parenting. Some of the topics covered include: Is spanking justified? What about minor kinds of aggression in parenting, such as confiscating possessions? One listener's experience of practicing peaceful parenting for 18 years. How come I argue against the use of psychotropic drugs on children? Show Notes: Previous Parenting Episodes The Myth Of Mental Illness by Thomas Szasz Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

Although it might not seem like it, disagreeing is a skill. To disagree well is not only an important skill, but also a learnable one. Most people disagree so poorly that they fail to even make an argument. This podcast episode presents Paul Graham's excellent article "How To Disagree" and discusses the concept of a hierarchy of disagreement. Show Notes: How To Disagree by Paul Graham Graham's Hierarchy Of Disagreement Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

Hannah and I discuss ways to design a life without regrets. Hannah talks about how to use journaling to stay conscious of what really matters to you. I explain my own journaling exercise inspired by her approach- Each week I complete the following sentence stems: The most courageous expression of my feelings at the moment would be… The best opportunity for quality time this week is … If I were to let myself be happier, I would … The most extraordinary thing that I can work on these days is … The best thing I can do to get more transparency in what I do these days is … The best opportunity for automation in what I do these days is … The thing am I doing regularly that I least inspired by is … We are at our best these days when … The thing I am most concerned about going wrong this week is … The way I would handle that is … The thing I am most resisting at the moment is … The most audacious goal that haven't fully admitted to myself is … Listen to the episode to find out more! Show Notes: Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware Journaling for a Life of No Regrets by Hannah Braime Paul Graham's Todo Items (in response to Bronnie Ware's article). Episode 269: Review of A Guide to the Good Life by William B. Irvine The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion by Elle Luna Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

This episode is about three principles of philosophy applied to parenting: Children own themselves (all people are self-owners). Parents have positive obligations towards their children (all individuals are responsible for their own actions). It is wrong to initiate aggression against children (initiating aggression against anyone is unjustifiable). Philosophical principles don't provide detailed prescriptions for parenting, but they do give a framework for understanding which parenting practices are ethical. If a principle is valid, then all its logical implications are valid too, even if those implications challenge widely-accepted practices. In the episode, I show how these principles can be applied to reevaluate many common parenting practices. Show Notes: TVL Episode 272 Why I Choose Peaceful Parenting Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

What will you do when you reach financial independence and job freedom? In this episode, I suggest some of the major opportunities that make this lifestyle worth striving to achieve, based on my own experience. Good luck on your journey, and let me know what you think! Show Notes: Job Free by Jake Desyllas Becoming An Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas Episode 254 Perpetual Travel With Kids Part 1: Interview With Go Curry Cracker Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

Paul Johnson's book, Intellectuals, provides many examples of the disastrous personal lives of intellectuals like Jean Jaques Rousseau, Karl Marx, Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Why do so many intellectuals—who famously argue for a better society— behave so badly in their personal relationships? Johnson suggests a few explanations, such as their need for attention and desire to post-rationalise bad decisions. There is also something about the way that these intellectuals think that leads them to neglect the people close to them. They share a faulty view of society, from which it makes sense for them to care so little about their personal relationships. In this episode, I argue that a correct understanding of society leads to investing in your personal relationships, because your society is your relationships. Show Notes: Intellectuals by Paul Johnson Episode 244 Thinking Rationally Part 2: Imaginary Creatures and Machines Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!

Jake's guide to the most helpful books on productivity, including why each one is recommend and what to expect from it. Show Notes: Getting Things Done by David Allen Making It All Work by David Allen Ready For Anything By David Allen The Power Of Less by Leo Babauta (Review in TVL Episode 253) Manage Your Day-to-Day edited by Jocelyn Glei The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (Discussion in TVL Episode 178) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande How To Read A Book by Mortimer J. Adler The Pomodoro Technique by Francesco Cirillo (Discussion in TVL Episode 120) The 80/20 Principle By Richard Koch The 4 Hour Workweek By Tim Ferriss Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Dan Pink Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy F. Baumeister The Universe Doesn't Give a Flying F-ck About You by Johnny B. Truant (Discussion in TVL Episode 141)

Personal freedom comes from individual choice and individual responsibility, as opposed to collective identity and collective responsibility. If you want to achieve personal freedom, don't join imaginary teams. Listen to the episode to find out more! Show Notes: TVL 244 Thinking Rationally Part 2: Imaginary Creatures and Machines TVL 245 Thinking Rationally Part 3: Anti-Rational Ideas

Jake's guide to the most helpful books on entrepreneurship, including why each book is recommend and what you can expect from it. As mentioned in the episode, if you want to get a free copy of Jake's book "Negotiate For Mutual Profit", sign up to the TVL mailing list here. Show Notes: Becoming an Entrepreneur: How to Find Freedom and Fulfillment as a Business Owner by Jake Desyllas The Lean Startup by Eric Ries The Founder's Dilemmas by Noam Wasserman The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber The Goal by Eliyahu M. by Goldratt Critical Chain by Eliyahu M. by Goldratt The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufmann Getting to Yes by Fischer and Ury Negotiate For Mutual Profit by Jake Desyllas (free when you sign up to TVL email list) How to Master the Art of Selling by Tom Hopkins Drive by Dan Pink Discipline Without Punishment by Dick Grote Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type by Isabel Briggs Myers Built to Sell by John Warrillow Finish Big by Bo Burlingham Anything You Want by Derek Sivers Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson How To Get Rich By Felix Dennis

I choose to parent without violence or aggression. This means I eschew various actions that a lot of parents still consider acceptable- actions such as spanking, hitting, yelling, psychotropic drugs, circumcision, and so on. In this episode, I explain my own reasons for choosing to practice peaceful parenting. Show Notes: What Is Peaceful Parenting? Parent Effectiveness Training by Thomas Gordon The Milgram Experiment TVL Series Your Own Moral Compass Part 1 (E151), Part 2 (E152), and Part 3 (E153)

Jake's guide to the best books on pursuing financial independence. Some of the books are must-reads, whereas others are suggested for specific purposes or additional information only. No country-specific books are included, so the list is relevant regardless of where you live. Listen to the episode to find out why I recommend each book and what you can expect from them. Show Notes: Job Free by Jake Desyllas Financial Independence Series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley Stop Acting Rich by Thomas Stanley Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicky Rubin Fail Safe Investing by Harry Browne (TVL Review) Why the Best-Laid Investment Plans Usually Go Wrong by Harry Browne The Permanent Portfolio by Craig Rowland and J.M. Lawson A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel (TVL Review) The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John Bogle Guide to Investing In Gold and Silver by Michael Maloney Where Are the Customers' Yachts? by Fred Schwed The 4% Rule and Safe Withdrawal Rates In Retirement by Todd Tressider The Global Expatriate's Guide to Investing by Andrew Hallam What Has Government Done to Our Money by Murray Rothbard

A discussion of a very thought-provoking article by the late Harry Browne, called "A Gift for My Daughter". The episode includes a recording of Harry reading his own words. Harry's ideas had a huge influence on me, but I don't agree with him about everything. This article is particularly interesting because it explains an important truth, and yet I think it also demonstrates one of Harry's most significant blindspots. Show Notes: A Gift for My Daughter by Harry Browne TVL Episode On How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World by Harry Browne Fail Safe Investing by Harry Browne Job Free by Jake Desyllas Episode 265: A Review Of Escape From Childhood By John Holt

In this episode I am joined by my wife Hannah Braime to discuss William B. Irvine's book, A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy. This book argues that the philosophy of stoicism is relevant to modern life and can be used to help you live well, according to your own values. We recorded the episode for the Psychology Book Club. I am sharing it here because the themes are highly relevant to The Voluntary Life. Show Notes: A Guide To The Good Life by William B. Irvine Psychology Book Club Hannah Braime

A listener asks: "How do you cope with family and friend pressure to buy bigger and better and to have an expensive wedding and kids, which leaves you with no ability to save and get ahead in life?" What do you think? Listen to the episode to hear my response.

Why do people spend so much of their disposable income on consumption and save so little towards their own financial independence? This episode presents four competing theories that try to answer this question: Theory 1: People are brainwashed into consumerism by advertising. Theory 2: Spending escalates as people try to keep up with their peer groups. Theory 3: Central bank policies have undermined saving. Theory 4: Spending is the path of least resistance, so you won't save unless you have sufficient motivation. Which (if any) of these theories have merit? Is there a better explanation? Let me know what you think! Show Notes: Job Free by Jake Desyllas

Many people who write about financial independence emphasise the benefits of self-sufficiency and DIY as part of their lifestyle. Will it help your journey to financial independence to try to be self-sufficient? Does it make financial sense to do your own repairs and renovations? This episode provides a different perspective. Show Notes: Job Free by Jake Desyllas TVL Episode 225: Comparative Advantage Is Mind-blowing I, Pencil by Leonard Read How to Make a $1500 Sandwich in Only 6 Months

John Holt was a leading figure in the school reform movement, who became increasingly interested in how children learn outside of school—what he called "unschooling." He wrote many influential books about alternatives to schooling and he helped start the modern homeschooling movement. His book Escape From Childhood provides a thought-provoking critique of how most adults treat children, and a vision of how we could treat children with dignity, giving them greater freedom. Show Notes: Escape From Childhood by John Holt TVL Discussion of Instead of Education by John Holt Previous TVL Episodes on Unschooling