Epis.#40: Allen makes very good money in corporate IT, AND is unemployed in the same year as an Airstream trailer nomad

03/17/20 • 27 min

Allen (not his real name) works in corporate IT. He makes very good money, but only works about half of the year—the rest of the time he is “unemployed” (at least that’s how he essentially presents himself to people he’s dating). When he’s not traveling abroad, he’s traveling the country in an Airstream trailer, parking in RV parks, and periodically taking on corporate IT jobs along the way. He grew up mainly in the Seattle area, living in foster homes, being homeless, and hanging out with a group of what he refers to as “Asian suprematists.” He shares all these parts of his life, and also talks about how he does NOT like the work that he does for money, but accepts it for what it is, and that it allows him his “pretty luxurious” lifestyle.

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Epis.#39: How do rich people feel about being rich? "Uneasy Street: the Anxieties of Affluence" author and sociologist Rachel Sherman

"Uneasy Street: the Anxieties of Affluence" is Rachel Sherman's book about very wealthy families living in New York City. She talks with me about it-- everything from how she found her subjects to what big-picture revelations came from studying rich people--and I in turn talk with my collaborator Maia Laperle about our respective reactions to the book and rich people generally.

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Epis.#41: actor and comedian Ethan Herschenfeld is financially secure, and only a little guilty

Ethan Herschenfeld is a standup comedian and actor (his acting credits include: Girls, Boardwalk Empire, High Maintenance, and the Plot Against America) living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He's managed to reach a level of financial security that's very unusual for a creative type. He talks about how he's managed to do it (hint: real estate), his various early gigs including opera singer and college prep tutor, and, eventually, how much he spends, and even his ballpark net worth.