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Life A Few Radical Ideas About Wealth
2011.09.09 15:35
| A Few Radical Ideas About Wealth By Doug Casey, Chairman, Casey Research Friday, September 9, 2011 Now that more than 45 million Americans receive food stamps … and over half receive more in government benefits than they pay in taxes, it's clear things have gone horribly wrong in this country's attitude toward wealth. I've spent a considerable amount of time thinking about wealth. Over the years, I've developed some radical ideas on wealth. You may find them valuable. Mind you, these ideas weren't radical 200 years ago… But they are considered radical now. That's why it's important to keep them in mind. In the financial crisis I see coming, the right ideas might mean your life. First, recognize that wealth is a high moral good. Don't feel guilty about having it or about wanting more. If you've already accumulated and deployed enough capital to allow you to jump off the golden treadmill, congratulations: chances are high that you are an exceptional human being. I say that because the moral value of being wealthy is underrated. I don't mean that in a Calvinistic way, in that Calvin believed Yahweh rewarded the righteous by making them rich. But I do believe that productive people – people who work hard to provide goods and services for others – definitely tend to be wealthier than unproductive people. They deserve to be. And since we don't live in a malevolent universe, people generally get what they deserve. So, yes, wealth is definitely one indicator of moral excellence. Sure, some wealthy people got that way by lying, cheating, and stealing. But they're exceptions. It's much easier to become wealthy if (in addition to having virtues like diligence, competence, and judgment) you are known to be truthful and honest. Those who automatically think ill of the rich are, at best, paranoid fools. Put it this way: Rich people may lack some virtues, but they definitely have at least a few that made them rich. Poor people, on the other hand, will certainly lack some virtues, and they'll definitely have some vices that kept them poor. I'm a fan of some aspects of Gurdjieff, the late-19th to mid-20th century Russian mystic, who was also a merchant adventurer at some points in his colorful life. He said that anyone who successfully employed at least 20 other people must be considered at least partially enlightened and a type of guru. That viewpoint always resonated with me. Self-made wealthy people may not be saints or mystics or intellectuals or even especially thoughtful or moral. But they've proven they're better than the average bear in at least one important way: they can create and conserve wealth. And they've thereby eased everyone's path to further accomplishments. Second, figure out your purpose in having money. Sure, money makes life easier. And it's nice how it enables you to assist people you like with material things. But I strongly suggest that you not take too short a view on this matter. Accelerating advances in medical science are not only lengthening human life expectancy, but new developments now in the works have the potential to vastly improve your capability and health, as well. Is it possible to live to age 200, with all the wealth, knowledge, and wisdom that implies, while maintaining the body of a 30-year-old? Not yet. But the prospect is on the horizon. It will, however, be available only to those who can afford it. Ray Kurzweil makes a case that the Singularity is near, and I buy his reasoning. It would be tragic indeed if anyone frittered away his wealth, thinking he wouldn't live very long, and then succumbed to a self-fulfilling prophecy, not because of medical difficulties, but because of financial difficulties. Third, don't give your money to charity. Entirely apart from showing a lack of both imagination and foresight, it's a complete waste of good money, pure and simple. Contrary to popular opinion, it rarely does any good. It often does great harm. The whole concept of charitable giving is corrupt and desperately in need of a complete rethinking. Fourth, if you do care about posterity (who knows, you might be reincarnated), and on the chance you don't make it to the Singularity, carefully consider how to dispose of your estate. For one thing, there's no reason to automatically leave anything to your children – unless they deserve it. The notion that someone should inherit just because he shares your genes is flawed and thoughtless. The example of Marcus Aurelius leaving the Roman Empire to his worthless son, Commodus, should be instructive. Wealth should be left to someone who is most capable of increasing it – at least if you want to benefit humanity in general. And, yes, I'm quite aware that humanity in general may deserve absolutely nothing. At a minimum, consider that memes are far more important than genes. It's wiser, therefore, to leave your wealth only to individuals (related to you or not) who will carry forth values you hold dear and are worthy of the wealth. If nothing else, make sure you disinherit the government. Also consider that dividing wealth dissipates it and generally makes it less useful. If you have $1 million, you could leave $1,000 to each of 1,000 people. But apart from the fact that it's unlikely anyone knows 1,000 worthy people, that much money is only enough for a modest vacation or a few baubles. The larger the pool of capital, the more ways it can be used, the more creative power it has, and the more likely it will be conserved and used creatively. I favor the Roman system, in which one could adopt children of any age – but always after you could see what their character was. You might want to do that if your own kids don't make the grade. The bottom line is, if you want serious money, you have to get serious about money. You need to understand these fundamentals and never forget them. Don't let all the garbage reported in the financial media you read, see or hear confuse you about what money really is. Don't consume more than you make: save! Don't spend: invest! Again, these are radical ideas in today's America, where bailouts and handouts are desired and expected. But these are timeless rules of wealth… and they always will be. Regards, Doug Casey |
생일날에 떠 오른 생각 몇개...
오늘 아침에 일어나서 처음 E-Mail을 열었더니, 나의 생일축하 E-Mail이 몇개 왔길래그제서야, "흠... 오늘이 내 생일이구나 !" 했다. (Internet 에서 내 생일을 아는 놈들이 너무 많다 !)
그 다음에 눈에 띠인 E-Mail이 바로 위에 올린 글이다. Why is he telling me today ?
잠간 이생각 저생각에 잠겼다가 (윗글의 내용과 직접 상관은 없지만),
다른 사람들과 나누어 보기로하고 여기에 올린다.
우리가 자랄때는 우리 자신 아니면 주위 사람들 중에서 가난한 사람이 많었다.그러는중에서 부자들은 있는 힘을다해서 부자 티를 내고 다녔다.
가난한 사람들은 그걸 꼴보기 싫게 봤지만, 돌아서서는 무척 부러워했다.
따라서 상당수의 Korean들은 "富"에 완전히 obsessed (집념)되어 만사를 "돈" 기준으로 생각한다.
예; 누가 그림을 잘 그리면, 그림이 좋다는 얘기보다, 먼저 튀어 나오는 말이 "돈 잘 벌겠네요" 이다.
어느 어린아이가 노래를 잘해도 첫말이 "크면 돈 벌겠네요" 이다.
산을 오르면, "일전한푼 생기는것이 없는데 왜 그짓을 하냐." 이다.
우리 주위의 한국인들은 만사가 "돈, 돈, 돈..." 이다.
이들은 죽을때까지 돈을 벌기 위해서 살다가 어느날 왜 돈을 벌었는지도 모른채 죽는다.
미국에 살면서 보아왔지만 여기 부자들은 전혀 부자인지 알수없게 행동한다.
우리 같이 돈에대한 집념이 적다. 이들에게는 돈 보다는 자기의 생활 목표가 더 중요하다.
우리집 아이들도 그렇다. 이들은 자기네가 training받은데 그냥 남아있으면
수입이 두배가 되는데도, 자기네가 좋아하고 살고 싶은곳으로 이사간다.
그런 태도가 참 보기좋고 존경스럽다.
나도 한국 사람이 없는 곳에서, 미국인 한가운데서 함께 살다보니 일찍 그 태도를 배웠다.
거기에 따라 내가 일찍 은퇴했을때, 나이 많은 한국사람들로부터 욕 많이 먹었다.
"멀쩡하게 젊은 놈이 왜 뻔뻔히 놀고 사느냐 !" (왜 일해서 돈벌지 않고 사느냐의 뜻일거라.)
은퇴한후, 나는 비록 일전 한푼 돈은 벌지 않었지만 (비록 정말 富者도 아닌데도 불구하고),
한 순간도 뻔뻔히 놀고 산일이 없다.
제발 바라건데, "뻔뻔히 놀면서" 살고 싶지만, 그동안 그럴 시간이 없었고 앞으로도 없을것 같다.
많은 사람들이 (특히 한국인) 은퇴에 대해서 잘못된 개념을 가지고있다.
은퇴는 "돈 버는 짓"을 끝낸것이지 "삶"을 끝낸것이 아니다.
사실은 은퇴한후부터 정말 삶이 시작되는것이 아닌가 한다.
만일 누군가가 은퇴한후에, 무슨 이유이던간에, 새 "삶"을 "열성적"으로 시작할수없다면,
미안한 얘기지만 이미 너무 늦은것이 아닐가?
하여간, 오늘 아침 E-Mail에서 본 어느 미국인 Investment advisor의 "富"에 대한 글을 올립니다.
(이 사람의 직업은 돈 버는것 (또 벌어주는것)이 주목적이지만 그런대로 돈에대한 관념이 건강스럽군요.)