Another Reason to Embrace FIRE

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I did a quick search yesterday to see what the long-term visa requirements are for a number of countries. Here are the results:

Most countries aren’t willy-nilly when it comes to issuing long-term visas. They don’t want foreign moochers feasting on their social programs. They only welcome foreigners who are financially secure—who can provide for themselves and won’t become a burden to the taxpayers.

The enlightened self-interest of many if not all foreign countries is another reason to embrace the FIRE movement: It gives you a bevy of ex-pat options. If Mrs. Groovy and I really wanted to learn Spanish, for instance, we could easily move to Spain or Mexico for however long was necessary to gain proficiency in Spanish. Or if the quality of life in America really deteriorated—that is, if the cost of living became exceedingly dear or if the rancor between the blue and red tribes escalated from Twitter barbs to guerrilla warfare, Mrs. Groovy and I could easily avoid the madness by moving to a more sane country.

But if Mrs. Groovy and I were moochers, bereft of wealth and totally dependent on the government for sustenance, we would be stuck. We would have no choice but to suffer our pathetic Spanish skills and America’s pathetic decline. Sigh.