"So when I was 24, I was financially struggling. I had a job that worked me a LOT of hours, but only paid me $10 an hour.
My parents talked me into buying a BRAND NEW 2004 4-Door Honda Civic, the pre-interest price tag on it was about $25,000. A few weeks after getting it, my hours got regulated and it took one entire paycheck to make the monthly note on it – I could NOT afford the insurance on it.
I very quickly realized my parents were bad at money."
Worlds_Best_Coffee
See Lewis Black description of that time here:
https://youtu.be/CnN8nKSzIBU
I clearly recall lying in bed, I think as a high schooler so early 80s, having a serious contemplative moment about dying and came to peace with it. It was also then that I came to the conclusion that there was no point in having ambition. We were all going to die soon anyway. If I made it to 20 years old, that was good enough. Any additional years would be bonus.