Here is a question for you. Suppose that you lead a comfortable middle-class life. Let’s say that you’re in your 30s, married, two children, and you make $100,000 per year. I offer you a fair coin flip with the following possible outcomes:
- Heads: You will be stripped of most of your assets and will earn $30,000 per year for the rest of your life. That’s all you get, and neither friends nor family can top it up for you.
- Tails: You will earn $1 million per year for the rest of your life.
Treat this as a serious question. Would you take me up on my offer to flip the coin?