Instead of spending time on work, Ferriss believes in a life of constant self-improvement. While Ferriss does recommend splurging on a few big-ticket items that the reader really wants, he also advocates paring down personal property to simplify travel. He exemplifies the lifehacking philosophy “to live is to learn” and recommends that the new rich spend their time traveling, learning new languages and skills (he mentions martial arts, a variety of athletics, ballroom dancing, and Irish flute), doing service work, and volunteering. This fantasy lifestyle of “continual learning and service” represents the idealism of technology workers—who emphasize experience, intelligence, and travel—taken to the logical extreme. Notably, Ferriss does not account for romantic or family relationships; he assumes that the reader is single with a lifestyle unencumbered by a partner, children, or friends.

Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, loc. 453