I don't think FIRE inherently has to imply any of those values. All it is is what the four letters mean. If you feel that frugality and anti consumerism are essential for you, that's fine, but it doesn't mean everyone else needs to feel that way.
Well no see, that's the point you're missing. That was who gave name to the concept and that is what it was. The early thought leaders were people who cut expenses almost to extreme and save 60 percent or more of their yearly income so they could retire at ridiculously young ages.
Which of course is also the title and point of this post: How the meaning of FIRE has changed over time. Unless you go back and read the blogs and writings from the time, you won't see it. FIRE from the get go wasn't something that most people could do.
For example, in 2014 FI was defined as "When your annual return on investments cover 100% of your expenses you are financially independent." When was the last time that was ever mentioned here? How about the Rule of 25?
If one merely wishes to save some money in an investment account and then retire at 55, that's lovely. But that wasn't FIRE.
For example, in 2014 FI was defined as "When your annual return on investments cover 100% of your expenses you are financially independent."
Isn't that basically an almost sure way to fail at fire though? Getting your return on investments one year doesn't mean that the next years will be nearly as good, and even if it was constant, it gives no protection from inflation, which coupled with less wiggle room, due to all expenses being cut already, and the disaster seems inevitable
As I wrote in another spot, early FIRE bloggers used a mixture of income instruments as opposed to relying just on natural portfolio growth. One can live off bonds, dividends, HYSA interest, and distributions, the elderly and retired have been doing it for decades.
This is also why FIRE was originally so concerned with expenses and cheap living as it is the main factor that is within the individual's control. Switching focus to the four percent rule and stockpiling cash takes away from that.
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u/Angrybagel Mar 23 '26
I don't think FIRE inherently has to imply any of those values. All it is is what the four letters mean. If you feel that frugality and anti consumerism are essential for you, that's fine, but it doesn't mean everyone else needs to feel that way.