Points from the Pacific [split off from OMaaT]
#16
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,656
#17
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
Sorry, that's an unhealthy obsession. He is not old enough, emotionally or chronologically to make that decision. Male teens decision making is not usually the best.
#18
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CGK/LAX
Programs: KF,JMB, OZ, SPG,AA,UA,AS
Posts: 1,163
#19
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
He write as if his parents have money. Maybe not rich, but wealthy. Enough to allow him to buy miles, fly, pay for food, etc... We live in an age where people under 25 want to quit their jobs, become YouTube famous, and get paid to be an influencer and be the envy of their peers. They get by with smoke and mirrors. I think we all know that Ben has been guilty of that. If that's the road the kid wants to lead we can only blame his parents and the people who sell him on this dream.
#20
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,611
SMH.
#21
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,656
We live in an age where people under 25 want to quit their jobs, become YouTube famous, and get paid to be an influencer and be the envy of their peers. They get by with smoke and mirrors. I think we all know that Ben has been guilty of that. If that's the road the kid wants to lead we can only blame his parents and the people who sell him on this dream.
For all the "smoke and mirrors" surrounding Ben right now, he actually has a college degree and his primary income source is not his blog/media work but rather his "award booking" travel agency services. Certainly the business benefits from Ben's media visibility, but there is an actual business providing services which could theoretically continue to operate if Ben's media presence were to be scaled back.
I'm the last person to criticise a young adult for making unorthodox career choices, but this person neither comes across as an adult nor does his choice come across as a career. I wish him well and hope he doesn't regret this choice in a few years time when it may be too late.
#22
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
It seems that Queensland law permits quitting school at age 16 or after completing Grade 10, but it seems that one has to continue with some sort of "educational" options outside of formal school until 17. Still seems pretty young.
http://www.lawstuff.org.au/qld_law/t...i-leave-school
He isn't very clear as to the exact timing or nature of his quitting school. I don't know, does having just your Grade 10 in Australia meet the minimum standards that most employers would want just for basic jobs, similar to a HS diploma or GED in the US?
When I first left, I wasn’t sure what to do. I applied for some travel courses and started them. Some were good some were. It was at this time where I first emailed Ben from One Mile At a Time. To me, Ben is like a celebrity, one of the coolest people I’ve ever met. I would read his posts all the time, and I thought I should start using miles and points to travel.
Reading the above post, paints a different picture in my mind than some scrappy kid who worked his butt off to save for the Residence. He doesn't describe any sort of after-school job. The amount of airline travel he describes plus taking flying lessons, mean his parents had to have been funding most or all of this.
I forgot to quote Astrophsx above about so many in the younger crew ending up as posers because they see success as these internet-famous "influencers" and such, but it's spot on.
#23
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
I think the comparisons with Ben are inevitable, but not necessarily accurate.
For all the "smoke and mirrors" surrounding Ben right now, he actually has a college degree and his primary income source is not his blog/media work but rather his "award booking" travel agency services. Certainly the business benefits from Ben's media visibility, but there is an actual business providing services which could theoretically continue to operate if Ben's media presence were to be scaled back.
I'm the last person to criticise a young adult for making unorthodox career choices, but this person neither comes across as an adult nor does his choice come across as a career. I wish him well and hope he doesn't regret this choice in a few years time when it may be too late.
For all the "smoke and mirrors" surrounding Ben right now, he actually has a college degree and his primary income source is not his blog/media work but rather his "award booking" travel agency services. Certainly the business benefits from Ben's media visibility, but there is an actual business providing services which could theoretically continue to operate if Ben's media presence were to be scaled back.
I'm the last person to criticise a young adult for making unorthodox career choices, but this person neither comes across as an adult nor does his choice come across as a career. I wish him well and hope he doesn't regret this choice in a few years time when it may be too late.
I also don't know if you really need a degree in order to do what Ben does. You might have to defend that argument. Seems like a lot of what he learned business wise might have come with a lot of mistakes and maybe getting mentored by others in the industry.
#24
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,611
The whole thing, really. But especially that bit.
His hero is someone who whose goal was to live a traveling consultant lifestyle without any consulting.
He's a shell of a shell of a traveler.
And the worst part is that by the time his prefrontal cortex kicks in it will be too late.
His hero is someone who whose goal was to live a traveling consultant lifestyle without any consulting.
He's a shell of a shell of a traveler.
And the worst part is that by the time his prefrontal cortex kicks in it will be too late.
#25
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
#26
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 44
The issue I have with the kid is he isn't honest in his writings and it is evident.
See this post:
http://pointsfromthepacific.boarding...ntas-platinum/
he says he has had Platinum for a number of years. - he had it for 15 months..
he also claimed he received an email from Alan Joyce congratulating him on being the youngest platinum. I know many people who's younger kids were platinum before 15. I also saw the email and no way was it written by AJ or even his secretary - it was clearly a fake.
See this post:
http://pointsfromthepacific.boarding...ntas-platinum/
he says he has had Platinum for a number of years. - he had it for 15 months..
he also claimed he received an email from Alan Joyce congratulating him on being the youngest platinum. I know many people who's younger kids were platinum before 15. I also saw the email and no way was it written by AJ or even his secretary - it was clearly a fake.
#27
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
The issue I have with the kid is he isn't honest in his writings and it is evident.
See this post:
http://pointsfromthepacific.boarding...ntas-platinum/
he says he has had Platinum for a number of years. - he had it for 15 months..
he also claimed he received an email from Alan Joyce congratulating him on being the youngest platinum. I know many people who's younger kids were platinum before 15. I also saw the email and no way was it written by AJ or even his secretary - it was clearly a fake.
See this post:
http://pointsfromthepacific.boarding...ntas-platinum/
he says he has had Platinum for a number of years. - he had it for 15 months..
he also claimed he received an email from Alan Joyce congratulating him on being the youngest platinum. I know many people who's younger kids were platinum before 15. I also saw the email and no way was it written by AJ or even his secretary - it was clearly a fake.
The kid should have paid better attention in school. His grammar, format, and punctuation errors almost make Renes Points look good.
#28
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 44
someone called him out on his story in the comments section.
http://pointsfromthepacific.boarding.../#comment-1643
http://pointsfromthepacific.boarding.../#comment-1643
#29
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
someone called him out on his story in the comments section.
http://pointsfromthepacific.boarding.../#comment-1643
http://pointsfromthepacific.boarding.../#comment-1643
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
I'd be surprised if award bookings are more lucrative that CC referrals at this point.