My opinion is that he’s kind of a jerk who seemed to dodge some of the questions asked, going off on his own tangent; but overall I think he made some valid (though, somewhat hidden) points and he has encouraged me to research some things I still don’t quite understand.
What spoke to me the most (so far, as I have 20 minutes left of listening) was his comment about those who follow Dave Ramsey and Suzie Orman. A huge light bulb went off for me! I do not at all agree with name calling (he could certainly have a little more respect and tenderness), but his point nonetheless was spot on. In my opinion, I don’t think he’s literally saying, “You’re an idiot for following their advice.” I think he’s saying, “You’re an idiot for not thinking for yourself. There’s nothing smart about following the crowd.”
As a society (in general) we are told from the start that our thoughts/feelings/opinions don’t matter and someone else always knows better, so you should just do what you’re told. We’re “supposed” to give birth in hospitals, tell our children how to live in an adult focused world and then send them to government-run schools, and work at jobs that barely get us by while we put into a retirement fund that also barely gets us by. That’s what everybody does, so it must be the right thing to do… No! We should be asking “why” more. Why do women give birth in hospitals? Why do our actions tell our children that their thoughts and feelings don’t matter? Are they really “defiant” or simply a child asking for help in the only way they know how? Why was school created to begin with? Why… why… why?
If you choose not to do the research yourself, then it might be better to just follow the crowd. It’s safer. For example: After a ton of research, I have determined that for a low risk pregnancy a hospital is the worst decision I could make for myself and my baby. However, I can’t just say to every woman, “Have your baby at home!” For anyone who hasn’t taken the time to research it, then the hospital is the safest option.
If you realize that there is almost always another way, then you don’t mindlessly do what everyone else is doing. Typically, you’re going against the grain.
If you aren’t going against the grain, then you might want to ask yourself why? If you don’t have strong convictions, then you might want to reconsider. However, if you are confident in your decision, then it doesn’t matter what other people think. It doesn’t matter what some harsh, rich guy says about your 401K investment. This guy obviously doesn’t care about what other people think. He is confident in his choices. Look where that got him!
He isn’t responsible for anyone’s feelings but his own. These days, it seems like everywhere you turn someone is getting offended about something. In my opinion, these are people who are not taking responsibility for their own feelings (and they probably can’t because punitive discipline/society teaches us to respond this way). They are blaming someone else when how they choose to act on those feelings is entirely up to themselves. But again, if it’s easier to blame someone else, why not just do what everyone else is doing…
With all of that said, I don’t think anyone who chooses to follow the crowd is an idiot. Unlike Kiyosaki, I think these people are simply uninformed. They can’t learn to think for themselves, because they weren’t taught to. In a terrible way, Kiyosaki is trying to inform the uninformed and show them something better. Oddly, many of these people might miss the lesson because he’s kind of a jerk about it. Don’t let his bitterness distract you from one of the most important life lessons you could ever learn.
