Richard Meadows & Nassim Taleb on FU money

Humphrey Bogart used to keep a $100 bill in his dresser drawer at all times—a decent chunk of change in the 1920s. He referred to it as his fuck-you money’, because it meant he’d never be forced to take a crappy part. According to Bogie, the only good reason for making money was so you can tell any son-of-a-bitch in the world to go to hell”.

Richard Meadows


A sum large enough to get most, if not all, of the advantages of wealth (the most important one being independence and the ability to only occupy your mind with matters that interest you) but not its side effects, such as having to attend a black-tie charity event and being forced to listen to a polite exposition of the details of a marble-rich house renovation.

Money buys freedom: intellectual freedom, freedom to choose who you vote for, to choose what you want to do professionally. But having what I call fuck you” money requires a huge amount of discipline. The minute you go a penny over, then you lose your freedom again.

— Nassim Taleb

quote nassim taleb richard meadows