My financial planner pointed out that country clubs exist so that you can hang out with people who don't remind you every day that Porsches are for rich posers. Not the exact terminology he used, but effectively that: "We wall ourselves off from your suffering because we want to enjoy our success in peace."

Our 30-year mortgage became a 15-year mortgage because TARP. The bank knew if they gave the money to the people who needed it they'd never see it again so they gave it to us because they had to get rid of it somehow. Saved me about $75k, and I had to chase them off three times before I listened. And I only listened because the above financial planner let me in on the scam.

Pinker talks about cognitive dissonance and the rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrip that happens when you switch teams. If you shop at Whole Foods, give to the ACLU, and are suspicious of the establishment, you might begin to think that vaccines are bad. Once you've committed to the idea that vaccines are bad, giving up on the idea that vaccines are bad makes you question Whole Foods and the ACLU. Giving up on Whole Foods and the ACLU means your entire worldview changes - I mean, are you going to have to join the NRA now that you're vaccinating your kids against measles?

It's really hilarious that you think my porsche selection problems are somehow "tough". Some friends asked how I was doing the other night. I said "I want a Porsche convertible but I only have a 1-car garage." They said "you're doing fine, then." I said "If more people had my problems the world would be a happier place."