In the event of reincarnation
Breakfast today with my friend A., who has achieved the ambition he set for himself some years ago of making enough money in investment banking to give up that line of work and do whatever else took his fancy. Now he has resigned his job, he is immensely happy, he is building a house in Switzerland, and, for the foreseeable future, he is planning to travel the world. I think he is not yet 40.
I feel whatever the opposite is of Schadenfreude. I am glad it is him, sorry it is not me. These lives must be frequent enough in this gilded age, but this is the first such one I have seen quite so close up. Obviously not everyone in the world can work in finance—however, it seems to me crazy not to do so, given the chance, and to make enough money in a reasonably short time to be financially independent. Since I moved to New York two years ago, I have found wealth, and even great wealth, so commonplace that I start to feel eccentric, or deficient, for not being rich myself.
When, as happens every week or so, college leavers write to me for advice about getting into journalism, I start by teling them not to do it at all, on the grounds that if they are smart enough to succeed in journalism, they are smart enough to succeed in finance, and they would do much better to put in ten years there, make their money, and then turn to journalism, or anything else, from a position of strength.
Sometimes very considerable strength. I am struggling to stay afloat in newspapers. A. is thinking of starting one, he says, as a hobby.
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On the other hand...
November 6, 2007 - 10:26 — Tristan (not verified)Three problems. The minds of most journalists are simply not hardwired to find enough fulfilment in finance to last an entire decade. Imagine the existential angst of seeing your wider curiosity of the world reduced to digits on a spreadsheet and global market performances.
Secondly, as a journalist who formerly worked in business I have forgone the fat pay-cheque for freedom. No regrets whatsoever. Shaping your worldview on your work is often more rewarding than the other way around. Believe it or not, critiquing business can actually make you feel richer than taking its profits.
Finally wait until your 40 to find out, and it may be too late. Why? Because breaking into journalism is a tough sweat that needs energy, resiliency and the ability to surrender yourself to those above to truly make your mark.
Students who really want journalism will be propelled there anyway. Those that don’t can always find financial riches - and a house in Switzerland – instead.
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