r/nextfuckinglevel 17h ago

The Transformation of a Van

41.8k Upvotes

3.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

24.2k

u/Genetic_Heretic 17h ago

It’s good to have generational wealth so that you can do this quirky fun stuff!

135

u/thesupercoolmarketer 17h ago

I love how there’s zero room for the possibility that they just worked hard for their money. Nope, had to be a handout. Anything to subvert your own failures in life. Just broke and delusional lmao.

59

u/Triquetrums 16h ago

Exactly. My neighbour converted a van in his garage himself. You don't need generational wealth or any major wealth to do this stuff.

4

u/Rocketeering 1h ago

A brand new van like they bought in this video isn't exactly cheap.
Also, I think the first was going off the number of videos you see where it is people posting stating living out of it as a "way to save money" and for the "freedom".

-5

u/getstonedsteve 14h ago

No, but you need some wealth. Too few of us have even that any more and it's only getting worse. Of course the general public feels the rub, we're only human.

7

u/M477M4NN 9h ago

God fucking forbid someone do well for themselves. You people are so god damn bitter.

3

u/The_Hoopla 4h ago

“Do well for themselves” is a bit of a spectrum. I’ve done well for myself, and I’d count myself amongst the (few) people that could afford to do a project like this.

I can also empathize with what it’s like to see videos like this when you don’t have money. Let’s not mince words, this van project, even doing it all yourself, is a $150k (minimum) project. In addition, they’re building it in a very, very nice autoshop with access to what I would guess is around $250k in shop, tools, etc separate from the van build itself. Unironically this van build is probably about as expensive as the median Ferrari is.

I am also pretty involved in the overlanding community. If you took 100 people with Mercedes van builds, conservatively about 80 of them are dipping into a trust fund to do so. Another 10 are tech entrepreneurs, and another 10 are “regular” people who saved up enough money to do this instead of a house.

I guess this is all to say, while I can afford this, I don’t blame people for outlining that this isn’t some quirky build, and is in fact more than most people will be able to afford in their lives.

4

u/Acceptable-Drive3781 8h ago

Too few of us have even that any more

You probably don't work as hard as the people in the video do.

4

u/The_Hoopla 3h ago

As someone who earns about as much as the people (probably) earn in this video, I’d challenge the idea that there’s a correlation between hard work and income after about $120k. I worked hard to get the degrees and work experience to earn my keep. I don’t think I work as hard as a back of house line chef at a particularly popular restaurant, despite the fact that I earn almost 6-7 times their salary.

I guess what I’m saying is it’s a little tone deaf to write off people who make under $100k as people that simply “don’t work hard enough”. Could you call out their choices early in life? Sure. Could you say they aren’t as “smart” as people high up in the tech tree? Also sure.

But can you really say they’re all just lazy? I mean you could, but you’d come off as a hustle culture weirdo who doesn’t really understand how the world works.

0

u/Acceptable-Drive3781 3h ago

Cool. That person still probably doesn't work as hard as the people in the video. 👍

2

u/nomadicillusion 6h ago

stop getting stoned steve. maybe when your head clears up you can figure out some steps to take to improve your lot

40

u/PmMeCuteDogsThanks_ 14h ago

Simple. If you believe that they were given everything in life, it is much easier to ignore your own shortcomings and blame everything on external factors

3

u/Sgtfullmetal 6h ago

Yeah alright, let's pretend wealth concentration and inequality are problems that don't exist in our capitalistic system.

1

u/nomadicillusion 6h ago

its a fucking van dude, and they used their own skills and labor to add value to it. jeezus. capitalism is not stopping you from learning how to do something productive with your hands besides jerk off

3

u/Sgtfullmetal 6h ago

The point flew right past you. Didn't it.

2

u/The_Hoopla 3h ago

Weird amount of simping for wealthy people in this thread.

“Can’t people just have worked hard for their money?!?!?”

Dude, this is a $150k-$200k van project. You sell this van to 10 people, 7 have an inheritance, 2 were tech leaders, and 1 was a “regular” person that spent the money on this instead of a house.

It’s not sour grapes to point out this “quirky fun project” costs more than the median Ferrari and is out of reach of 95% of Americans.

0

u/nomadicillusion 3h ago

why the FUCK is your first reaction to cry like a baby though? that is so bizarre. these people build a van with their own labor and instead of admiring the craftsmanship, creativity, or anything, you cry first. so fucking wird

u/The_Hoopla 43m ago

why the FUCK is your first reaction to cry like a baby though? that is so bizarre.

What's crazy is I reread my comment and, as it turns out, at no point was I crying like a baby. That is so bizarre.

these people build a van with their own labor and instead of admiring the craftsmanship, creativity, or anything

I mean, sure, there's some decent craftsmanship in this video. But it's worth calling out that this isn't something 99% of readers will be able to pursue due to the fact it's at least a $150k project.

This all started because one guy said "man it would be cool to have generational wealth" and then dozens of people crawled out of the wood work to tell him to shut up and stop acknowledging the fact that this isn't possible for the average person.

you cry first. so fucking wird

Brother it seems like you're the only one crying. The rest of us are having a discussion. Only thing "wird" is how heated you are.

9

u/nomadicillusion 9h ago

they used their own labor too 🤣 redditors are the scum of the earth, no skills no work ethic no financial aptitude just bitterness

17

u/glosss 15h ago

I’m familiar with that type of person. An acquaintance of mine claims that everyone around him who makes money does so thanks to their parents, connections, or something similar. Yet, he was fired from his last job simply because he wasn't fulfilling his duties—he would just show up and not do what he was supposed to do

1

u/Abzan_physicist 3h ago

Damn this guy pulled his bootstraps all the way up his ass.

u/thesupercoolmarketer 48m ago

Yeah man I work and make money what a crushing insult

0

u/Ballaholic09 5h ago

This sounds like a nepo response.

u/thesupercoolmarketer 45m ago

Me and my single mom had to live in a shelter for 6 months to get away from my stepdad who had borderline personality disorder. I dropped out of high school to get a job and put food on the table. Eventually got to the point where I started a business. I worked 16 hour days for two years straight. Definitely got fortunate with mentors and people who guided me. Again, you’re just broke, stupid, lazy and delusional.

-30

u/0202_tihssitidder 16h ago

Calm down, white knight. Do you take everything literally?

18

u/kmdfrcpc 16h ago

Oh right he was just joking, not salty at all. Kinda like you.