The Surprising Truth About Who Climbs the Wealth Ladder and How One Woman Killed Her Way to the Top of It

Plus behind the scenes with an influencer and tech millionaire

Photo by Lance Grandahl on Unsplash

1. The Notorious Mrs. Mossler by Skip Hollandsworth — I’m not sure I have words to describe this one. You should just read it and enter a state of disbelief along with me.
2. I’m Rich Now. It’s Weird by Anonymous Author — Ever since reading Jackpot, I’ve read articles like this with intense fascination. This author is a weird mix of relatable and far off that I find incredibly engaging.
3. Climbing the Wealth Ladder by Maggiulli — If you couldn’t tell, I’m thinking about wealth a lot this month. Even the first story is suffused with it. I love this article because it changed the way I think about wealth. We talk about wealth with such imprecision, failing to understand what exactly it is wealth does. In this article, we find a simple tool for understanding at a coarse level, what wealth does.
4. Who Would Tavi Gevinson by Without Instagram by Tavi Gevinson — A break from the wealth articles, I loved this one for it’s behind the scenes look at an influencers life. Influencers appear vulnerable on screen, but it’s harder to hide on paper. Tavi is vulnerable and clear here.
5. The Rich Are Not Who We Think They Are by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz — Another article that changed the way I think about wealth. We hear a lot about tech startups, but less so about franchise owners who build their wealth low and slow. Turns out they are more common.

Bonus Article

In the not so distant past, I fell victim to constant news monitoring. Recently, I’m more partial to the low information diet of Tim Ferriss. Yet some news is worth paying attention to as it changes the way we view the world. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is worth paying sustained attention. I’ve read lots about the war and this is one of the most interesting pieces I’ve come across so far.

• Putin’s rule is weakening by Timothy Snyder

Books I’m Reading

1. Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism by Anne Case & Agnus Deaton — My intellectual journey of late feels like a straight line of books. From Black Swan to the Big Short to the Man Who Solved the Market, my thoughts about the economy slowly evolved. All the preceding books helped me realize our economy was in trouble. Goliath sharpened my focus on monopolies and Deaths of Despair is further narrowing view to health care. I’m reminded of a more wide ranging version of Dopesick with elements of Ghettoside.
2. The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis — I’ve read lots of Lewis, with Moneyball looming large in my teens and the Big Short changing my mind more recently. Likewise, I’ve read lots of Daniel Kahneman’s research, much of it informed by his partnership with Tversky. I’ve never read about their legendary partnership or it’s tragic unravelling.
3. The Anatomy of Anxiety by Dr. Ellen Vora — The last few years of my life can be explained in part by my increasing awareness of my anxiety. Like everyone in my family as far back as I know, I’m anxious about nearly everything. So often, my remedies are mental machinations so I’m curious to learn more about the physical manifestations of anxiety. I’m hoping for a more practical Waking the Tiger here with this one.