Sitar vs Guitar
There is a r/Fire subreddit which is the main inspiration for the all the other country specific FIRE subreddits…including Indian r/FIRE_Ind.
Now when we get right down to it, FIRE math is pretty straightforward and universal. Invest 33X+ corpus with at least 50% of it in equity and you are set. Sure, you can fine tune it further but that is like putting make-up on Liv Tyler. Nothing wrong with it but not really necessary.
That is why you will notice a lot of similarities between r/Fire and r/FIRE_Ind even though r/Fire has 500K members compared to 18K members of r/FIRE_Ind. Inspiring posts detailing rags-to-FIRE journeys, flex posts by 20-something millionaires, posts berating those 20-something millionaires…feels like our firangi counterparts and us are cut from the same cloth.
But then you read more and you start noticing a few differences. There are proportionally a lot more RE stories on r/Fire than r/FIRE_Ind. In contrast, there are lot many ‘what will people say if I RE’ posts on r/FIRE_Ind than on r/Fire. There is also a lot less confusion about post RE life on r/Fire. Now more RE stories can partially be attributed to availability of Social Security in US. But I think, culture provides a more complete explanation.
Me or Us?
Western cultures, predominant in Europe and North America, tend to be more ‘Individualistic.’ They emphasize personal freedom, independence and self-expression. Individual achievements and aspirations are highly valued. Rationalism and scientific inquiry are encouraged.
In contrast, Eastern cultures prioritize ‘collectivism.’ They value harmony, cooperation and the well-being of the group over individual desires. These cultures tend to be more holistic. Respect for traditions and elders is expected.
There are obviously many other differences. Take communication style, for example. Western communication style is explicit and direct while in eastern cultures, a lot of communication is indirect and through nonverbal cues. Let me explain it with a scenario…
Boss: Do task ‘X’
Western Employee: No. It is not part of my responsibilities
Boss: I insist.
Western Employee: No
Boss: Ok
The same scenario will run a bit differently with an employee from easter culture
Boss: Do task ‘X’
Eastern Employee: Usually Employee ‘B’ does this task…
Boss: I want you to do it
Eastern Employee: Believe me, I don’t have any problem doing this task. It is just that I am doing this other task…
Boss: Finish your task then do this one
Eastern Employee: Deadline is close. I will not have enough time to finish both...
Basically, the eastern employee will try to convey ‘No’ without actually saying ‘No.’ Cause respect for authority is ingrained part of the eastern culture and confrontations are rare.
These cultural differences are so prominent that when a person from one culture experiences the other culture, he/she gets culture ‘shock’; not culture ‘mild surprise’. And once you get used to it over the time, you realize that certain things which were difficult for you to accomplish in your society are comparatively easier in this one. And vice versa.
Advantage, West!
Now when it comes to FIRE, I think western cultures have a leg up on eastern cultures. Here’s how…
Corpus building: The vanilla way to build the required corpus is to save more, invest wisely and control expenses. An individualistic person will find it comparatively easier to accomplish this as there is only one person single-mindedly doing what needs to be done
Risk-Taking: Individualists are more willing to take calculated risks; both in employment and in investment. A collectivist will take only those risks which will be acceptable to his/her parents, spouse, kids and any other dependents.
Lifestyle Choices: Individualists prioritize their desired lifestyle. They may choose frugality, minimalism or unconventional living arrangements to reduce expenses. This lifestyle alignment accelerates retirement savings.
Societal Acceptance: Both eastern and western societies encourage people to earn more, climb social and professional ladders and compete with friends/relatives in wealth building. FIRE means taking a step back from all that and it is not looked upon favourably by either society. But in western culture, individualist aspiration commands a lot more respect than in eastern. So consequently, the opposition is a bit muted in western society.
Now let’s get some obvious disclaimers out of the way
One; this post is not about which culture is better. Both Guitar and Sitar are capable of producing beautiful melodies. It is just that certain songs are easier to play on one instrument than the other.
Two; Individualist ≠ single people. A married person can very well be an individualistic and take all the decisions without considering what’s in the best interest of the entire family.
Pursue EGGcellence
FIRE is an intensely personal goal so naturally it finds more purchase in individualistic western culture than in holistic eastern one. Which is why pursuing FIRE while living in west is comparatively easier. But does that mean people living in India should just throw up their hands citing culture as the reason? There is a Russian saying which goes ‘the same boiling water which softens the potato, hardens the egg.’ Basically, it means it’s not about the circumstances but what you are made of. If you feel FIRE is in your best interest, then you need to pursue it no matter what the obstacles. And while it would have been awesome to receive support from your culture, there is no point waiting for it as culture changes ever so slightly over the course of years. And it’s the rebellious people who help change it.
So it is upto you. Do you want to defy your culture and take a shot at happiness or would you prefer to be in the good graces of your society throughout your life and wonder ‘what-if?’ in your old age?