The Reframe Ep. 63 - Is FIRE Ethical?
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Aug 12, 2025 Delve into the ethical debate surrounding the FIRE movement and whether seeking early retirement is morally questionable. Are early retirees contributing positively to society? The discussion challenges common perceptions, highlighting the potential benefits of financial independence. Topics like tax liability, career opportunities, and parenting also surface, inviting listeners to consider their own views on these complex issues.
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Group Chat Pushback On FIRE
- Kathleen describes a group-chat reaction where someone called early retirement unethical because people have a moral duty to work.
- She frames that response as a Puritan-ethic driven diatribe she found surprising and unsupported.
Evaluate FIRE With Concrete Metrics
- Kathleen recommends assessing FIRE's ethics by asking measurable questions like tax contributions rather than relying on gut feelings.
- She urges listeners to evaluate trade-offs with data and concrete comparisons.
Tax Years As An Ethical Metric
- Kathleen proposes using lifetime tax contributions as a measurable way to assess whether early retirees shortchange society.
- Comparing shared 20-year careers to a single 40-year earner shows equal total working years, challenging the 'ethical duty to work' claim.