"Everyone wants to be a hedge fund millionaire or a victim. We need an alternative"

I'm a hedge fund manager. I was an MD in a bank, and now I'm a portfolio manager at a major fund. But I'm not your average hedge fund millionaire. 

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I don't live in a bubble. Yes, my kids go to elite schools, but I grew up poor. I know what life's like for people outside this industry, who don't have money. Most of my extended family live in that world, and I give of my time to help and mentor others when I can. I talk to a lot of college kids. I think I have a good handle on how they approach life.

It seems there are only two games that young people want to play now. They either want to be a hedge fund manager and to earn millions a year, or they want to be a victim. There's a sense that if you're not going to stab whoever you can in the back to earn your $5m, you're going to have to play the oppressed card. Victimhood is a valuable currency. So is naked ambition. 

There's a different way. I know billionaires and they are not happy. The happiest person I've ever met is actually a teacher at my daughter's school. He's passionate about what he does, he loves the kids, and he gets a huge amount of pleasure from his work.

There's so much more to life than the oppressor-victim game, and young people need to know this. I work hard and earn a lot, but I derive the most amount of happiness from helping others. I don't just write cheques (although I do write cheques) - I give my time to causes that I want to get involved in. It's a completely different experience to blowing air kisses at a gala dinner. 

Being human can be hard. Everyone suffers, Suffering doesn't mean you have to be a victim. Equally, money doesn't mean you'll be happy. There's another way; it's called service and working hard while helping others. This is how to have a good life. Trust me, I'm a hedge fund manager; I know.  

Abeline Waser is a pseudonym

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