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Artist Illustrates How Downsizing Can Lead To A Happier Life, And His Comic Goes Viral
Goh Wei Choon and He Ruiming had been friends throughout their studies, however, as time went by they grew apart. It wasn’t until they became colleagues that they reconnected again. Trying to make the most out of their rebuilt bond, they started The Woke Salaryman, a platform that encourages discussions about financial independence and more.
“We were working, and we noticed that many of our peers were recklessly spending their money,” they told Bored Panda. “Some of them were in their 30s with very little savings. We found that scary, and wanted to trigger the young folks in our country to better their financial decisions and lives in general. Along the way, audiences from other countries started to pick up on our page.”
One of the ways The Woke Salaryman addresses its followers is comics. One recent strip, in particular, has really resonated with their followers, highlighting that bigger and shinier things don’t necessarily make you happier.
More info: thewokesalaryman.com | Facebook | Instagram
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
Image credits: thewokesalaryman
“We live in Singapore – one of the most materialistic and consumeristic societies on the planet. Often, people get into meaningless competitions to see who can display more material wealth. This isn’t always good for people’s financial stability. We managed to save quite a bit of money by resisting peer pressure and living below (not above, nor within, below) our means. We thought if people could see that doing this had its benefits, they’d be more open to trying this out,” the duo explained the intention behind the comic.
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Here’s what people said about the comic and the themes it explores
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What do you think ?
Missus Magoo 5 years ago
I get the concept but the reality is different. Most workers in U.K. struggling to pay their regular living costs such as rent and bills. We are currently known as the JAM generation (just about managing). As for the young people? No chance of owning homes. Renting is backbreakinly expensive but one has no choice.
Odiet Amo 5 years ago
Yeah. It Is very complicated problem. Why is it so? It is because our world is ruled by predators. They dont need smart and stable society. Most of leaders have some kind od psychic illness or diagnose. Most of them are poor managers and they focus on their good. They live in a greenhouse knowing sh*t about ordinary people and their struggling. And other part of power is advertisment industry and media. Our world is one big lie and it is so only for happy life of few people....here in eastern Europe we have something like postsocialism where especially healthcare And education is affordable for all. But development of all industries And economics is very slow.
Load More Replies...
nanashi 5 years ago
I feel like the message of this comic applies more to the nouveau riche of this side of the globe, where materialism is what determines one's "spot" in society. it's sort of a pride after gaining all that money and you can finally afford getting all the shiny expensive things you only dreamed about before. once you Upgrade, you suddenly feel that it's beneath you to live how you were, and thus the comic tries to tell you that the pride in the materialism is only temporary happiness. you don't have to spend all that hard earned money immediately. it's better to save and spend with thought.
Kendra Miller 5 years ago
I disagree, I don't think this advice is just for nouveau riche as you put it. I most certainly am not and I managed to buy a house living super cheap for two years. I did live with my parents and carpooled to work. I never ate out and if I wanted something, AKA new clothes I would explore thrift stores at every opportunity to find it. And I have a rule, it doesn't matter how much I like something I see, the question is can I see myself using it? Will I continue to use this thing for years? Do I already have something that does that? And will it make my life better? Also I will only buy it if I'd been wanting it for a while, never at first sight. This way I managed to put away a 1000 a month into savings for nearly 2 years. I was only 23 and was making a dollar more than minimum wage. I now have a house I'm doing a slow reno (The slower it goes the faster I can earn the money to pay for it) and it's furnished with both given and thrift store furniture. And it's a lovely home :)
Load More Replies...
Vicky Zar 5 years ago
Just don't buy things you can't afford. But if you have the money (saved), buy good quality stuff, so that it will not break soon. Its more expensive to always replace cheap stuff then buying more expensive but good quality stuff once in a while. My phone is broken since July. I am waiting till the phone I like is cheeper and in the meantime I am saving the money for it. And whats with those two year old Nike's in the comments? Is it a crime to wear shoes for more then one year now? I have a pair that are far older than that
Daria B 5 years ago
Just spend smart. Do research. Just like bigger and newer is not neccessarily better, same goes for the other way around.
Load More Replies...
Missus Magoo 5 years ago
I get the concept but the reality is different. Most workers in U.K. struggling to pay their regular living costs such as rent and bills. We are currently known as the JAM generation (just about managing). As for the young people? No chance of owning homes. Renting is backbreakinly expensive but one has no choice.
Odiet Amo 5 years ago
Yeah. It Is very complicated problem. Why is it so? It is because our world is ruled by predators. They dont need smart and stable society. Most of leaders have some kind od psychic illness or diagnose. Most of them are poor managers and they focus on their good. They live in a greenhouse knowing sh*t about ordinary people and their struggling. And other part of power is advertisment industry and media. Our world is one big lie and it is so only for happy life of few people....here in eastern Europe we have something like postsocialism where especially healthcare And education is affordable for all. But development of all industries And economics is very slow.
Load More Replies... nanashi 5 years ago
I feel like the message of this comic applies more to the nouveau riche of this side of the globe, where materialism is what determines one's "spot" in society. it's sort of a pride after gaining all that money and you can finally afford getting all the shiny expensive things you only dreamed about before. once you Upgrade, you suddenly feel that it's beneath you to live how you were, and thus the comic tries to tell you that the pride in the materialism is only temporary happiness. you don't have to spend all that hard earned money immediately. it's better to save and spend with thought.
Kendra Miller 5 years ago
I disagree, I don't think this advice is just for nouveau riche as you put it. I most certainly am not and I managed to buy a house living super cheap for two years. I did live with my parents and carpooled to work. I never ate out and if I wanted something, AKA new clothes I would explore thrift stores at every opportunity to find it. And I have a rule, it doesn't matter how much I like something I see, the question is can I see myself using it? Will I continue to use this thing for years? Do I already have something that does that? And will it make my life better? Also I will only buy it if I'd been wanting it for a while, never at first sight. This way I managed to put away a 1000 a month into savings for nearly 2 years. I was only 23 and was making a dollar more than minimum wage. I now have a house I'm doing a slow reno (The slower it goes the faster I can earn the money to pay for it) and it's furnished with both given and thrift store furniture. And it's a lovely home :)
Load More Replies... Vicky Zar 5 years ago
Just don't buy things you can't afford. But if you have the money (saved), buy good quality stuff, so that it will not break soon. Its more expensive to always replace cheap stuff then buying more expensive but good quality stuff once in a while. My phone is broken since July. I am waiting till the phone I like is cheeper and in the meantime I am saving the money for it. And whats with those two year old Nike's in the comments? Is it a crime to wear shoes for more then one year now? I have a pair that are far older than that
Daria B 5 years ago
Just spend smart. Do research. Just like bigger and newer is not neccessarily better, same goes for the other way around.
Load More Replies...
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