If You Want to Be Rich & Happy: Don't Go to School? : Ensuring Lifetime Security for Yourself and Your Children

Rating:
Summary: "Surprisingly helpful advice!"
Review: As a teacher, I was curious to find out just how much 'damage' this author was going to do to our educational system! After reading it, I discovered the answer: no lasting harm. This is a practical and interesting book that really IS quite helpful. It fills in the 'gaps' that we, as teachers, unavoidably leave in our students' lives. I found myself really liking the suggestions and organizational structure of this book! It contains useful lessons and useable advice for life--much like 'The Mizraim Principles' (based on the life of Joseph the Hebrew) does for Christian readers. I has hoping the information presented within these pages wouldn't hurt my profession. Now, I realize--it just might help! (...)

Rating:
Summary: This Book Is A Wake Up Call To The Educational System
Review: I discovered this book, after reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad. The title of the book was intriguing to me, and wanted to read about it myself.

I have to say that I learned alot about our educational system in this world is very corrupted. I felt a sense of anger after I completed the book, as well a sense of relief. I never did very well academically in elementary or secondary school, and felt a failure by all means, in which I could not excel in the instructor's eyes.

What I learned from this book were these things: that failure in the school system is a bad thing, we have to be conditioned to memorize quizzes and tests, and that the students who struggle and fail, are pushed aside and rejected for the better students. I have read that the people who have achieved the greater success stories are the ones who were looked at as failures.

To me learning should be a natural thing, don't get me wrong I crave life long learning. However when learning is forced, that is not a good thing. People in the business world fail, but they learn from their mistakes and build themselves back up, whereas in school, if you fail, they think you will not amount to anything.

The way the educational system works, is that if it ain't broke don't fix it. Personal finance and money management are overlooked in the school system to be taught, because we are taught how to excel and get a secure safe job. There is no encouragement to succeed in being and thinking entrepreneurial.

To the people who have given negative reviews about this book, I encourage to re-read the book, and have a second opinion on your comments. This is a wake up call for everyone, and something needs to be done about it, if anything will ever be done about it.

Thank you Robert Kiyosaki for writing this book.

Rating:
Summary: You don't need school to learn to read this book
Review: I had always thought school was a waste of my time and my kid's time, but I never had the balls to ignore convention and do anything about it. Kiyosaki changed all that for me, though. His advice and insights on life and money changed my life, and I now realize how foolish itis to put my son's future into the hands of a group of overpaid, unionized morons.

Without Kiyosaki's stock advice, I'd never be able to break even and get out from the cost of day care. Now, not only can my wife and I afford to pay for a full-time au pair for 7-year-old Ricky, but we can almost afford steak every week! Kiyosaki's tips on how to think of the classified advertising section of the newspaper as a tool has really helped our bank account. Every day, I go to the local library and steal the classifieds right before my second job so I can put his money-earning nuggets to work. And he's right. Our education system can't possibly help my son learn the basic skills necessary to grow rich in this world. If only my father knew enough to pull me out of school early before Cornell and Columbia eroded my brain with their erudite, competely financially useless claptrap.

Kiyosaki writes brilliantly, and with a flair for real drma. I actually felt for the humble security who foolishly invested his paycheck based on the advice of others. If only he had learned in high school that not all free advice is good advice, then maybe his life would have turned out differently. In five or six years, when my son learns how to read, I plan to hand him my dog-eared copy of this book and put his money to work for him.

Rating:
Summary: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Save Your Money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I've read all of the Rich Dad series and this and "Prophecy" are the worst. Once FINALLY realizing that RICH DAD IS A MYTH ANYWAY, I can see that Kiyosaki is a master as creating enticing titles, only to repeat the same shallow hyperbole over and over and over. In NO book does he offer any solid concrete plans or advice!!! This was written before "RICH DAD, POOR DAD"; yet no mention is made of this so-called "RICH DAD".
If you insist on purchasing the "RICH" dad series, consider the titles by his "advisors"--Garrett Sutton and Diane Kennedy -- an attorney and CPA. Their books DO offer some SOLID advice on finance and accounting!!!
It's very confusing that he dedicates the book to his father, (NOT RICH DAD)the former Superintendent of EDUCATION for the state of Hawaii (The best teacher he's ever had?); yet spends the next 200+ pages bashing the school system!??!??!
AND PLEASE don't allow your child to become disillusioned by this man and his apparent problems during HIS schooling!!!
**People have an overwhelming desire to believe in something. (RICH DAD) Become the focal point of such desire by offering them a cause, a new faith to follow (RICH DAD). Keep your words vague but full of promise; emphasize enthusiasm over rationality and clear thinking.***

Rating:
Summary: Some good material. Worth reading.
Review: I've read this book 3 times, and I enjoyed it more every time. This is not a book about "bashing" the educational system. After all, it was written by a teacher. This is Kiyosaki's first book. His subsequent books "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" "Cashflow Quadrant" have gone on to best seller status. "Rich Dad's Guide to Investing" will probably too.

What this book confirmed for me is what I suspected all along. Our educational system is designed as a giant employment training agency. Schools don't teach our children how to cope in life and to take care of themselves. Schools are designed to produce good employees. Sounds almost like a conspiracy theory doesn't it? Think about it. Why do people strive to get good grades in school? To get into a good college. Why do people want to go to a good college or any college? To get a good "education" which really translates into a good job.

I found the author's talk about grades to be very eye opening. After all, we place kids in different ranks. Some kids are dumb and some are smart. They all can't get A's in school, so we create the "Bell Curve" to make it look good. We have to flunk a certain number of kids in order to make the smart ones appear smart. After all a "smart" kid is only smart in comparison to all the other kids who are "dumb." The kid who graduates at the top of the class does so because he/she is "better" or "smarter" than the kids who rank lower. This book presents a really sad look at our educational system, and I think many bureaucrats in the educational system resent it. I hope it wakes them up.

If you're involved in the educational system, you owe it to yourself to give this book at least a good read or two. If you never liked school like I did, you'll love this book. I felt a sense of validation after reading it. It's not a put down of education per se as much as our school system. People who are "educated" aren't necessarily poor, they've just been trained in the wrong way. I don't expect the bureaucrats to change anything as a result of this book. Too many people have too many entrenched interests to change the system.

I'm giving this book 5 stars for its courage and originality. Kiyosaki laid it all out on the line. Many people will disagree with the premise of the book, and those are the people who profit by keeping our schools mediocre. As the author points out, we need to teach our kids to be independent and self-sufficient. Our school system doesn't do that. I wonder how many "dumb" kids never made it in life because of their school experience. Have you ever noticed how many famous wealthy people never completed school? Think about that.

Rating:
Summary: Lose your stereotypes/fear of the rich in 1 book¿?
Review: Robert Kiyosaki wants to break the cycle of winners and losers in society by re-educating our youth. This process begins by providing people with the financial understanding necessary to succeed in today's society. Kiyosaki remarks, "Given the structure of modern society, the neglect of this information is comparable to neglecting to teach farming skills in an exclusively agrarian society" (10). The purpose of education is to provide our children with the skills needed to succeed later in life. The ability of education to respond to the times should be the marker by which we judge its overall utility and effectiveness. The fact that school still ends at 3pm and that students have off during the summer testify to the failure of our educational system to transition itself from the needs of the agrarian age to that of the new information age. The information age speaks the language of money and ideas. According to Kiyosaki, recognizing the importance of money in today's society is essential:

...in the past 100 years, money has become almost as necessary for survival as air, water and food. In today's world, money is synonymous with survival...To say that money is corrupting and evil in a world which runs on money makes about as much sense as saying that pigs or potatoes are corrupting an agrarian society (72).

Our educational system should adjust to reflect this new reality. By meeting the special needs of today, we are better able to develop the potential within all of us, thus preparing each of us to make a unique and valuable contribution to the world.

Kiyosaki believes that by embracing the Malthusian doctrine of scarcity the American educational system stifles the "gift of genius" that each child is born with. He rejects the zero-sum game begun in school and perpetuated afterwards permeating throughout all walks of life. Educators must realize that scholastic achievement is but one measure of genius, and the long-term effects on a child who may be a musical or mechanical genius, but not an academic genius, are disastrous. This inevitably leads to many societal problems that are ultimately education-based. Kiyosaki demands action now and asks, "Must the problems land directly on our own doorsteps before we can care" (48). Change can only be wrought once we accept that there is no such thing as a stupid child.

The fundamental principle of human learning rests upon making mistakes and learning from them. More effective learning requires engagement of not only mental learning, but also emotional and physical learning. Kiyosaki believes that today's education system errs because, "Of all the methods of learning that are available to us, memorization is the most monotonous, the least challenging, and the most boring" (127). Many blame teachers or professionals for our system's failings. However, 94% of the time it is the system itself that has failed.

Some ways in which our system fails us includes asking the wrong questions and accepting only one right answer, and by promoting specialization, rather than generalization, to early on in life. School teaches specialization. While this is good for corporations, it is bad for you. Specialization leads to decreased opportunities and obsolescence. Therefore, beware of the detrimental effects of specialization. Learn to become a generalist by committing yourself to lifelong learning and self-improvement in many areas of your life. Concentrate on such practical business matters as production, sales, accounting, organizational management, and finance. Most importantly, affect change by leading by example.

Rating:
Summary: Attend and Spend
Review: This guy knows how to say nothing and charge you for it. He stresses lifelong education, but bashes the educational system.
He cites pretty platitudes about working for tomorrow, but doesn't get specific as to how to get rich. So what's the punch line? Attend his seminar, of course, which he pumps in bold type at the end of the book for six pages.
Nothing you read here can't be discovered elsewhere, and usually for free. All your doing is handing this guy your cash.

Rating:
Summary: It is time for the educator to read this book
Review: What Robert said in this book is an eye opener.

Our education is a failure, especially coming from a country like mine, which only emphazing the elimination of weak students. The result is having a pool of students that are exam smart but does not have any commensense.

Robert always insist that our school system does not teach our student the concept of money, which is the reson why many of us still trap in this rat race of getting a job, spend every single cent and live on credit.

I strongly recommend any educator to read this book.

Rating:
Summary: This book helped me understand "why."
Review: When I read the 1 star reviews of this book I am reminded of the Easter Ham story. The story goes like this:

A young girl goes over to her Mom on Easter Sunday and asks; "Mom, how come everytime you make a ham you always cut both ends off?" Her Mother surprised by the young girls question simply responded; "I don't know. My Mom always did it that way so it seemed like the right thing to do. Grandma is in the parlor go ask her."

The young tot went over to her grandmother and said; "Grandma, Mom is making a ham in the kitchen and I noticed she as always cuts both ends of the ham off. I asked her why and she said she didn't know and wanted me to ask you. Why did you always cut both ends of the ham off Grandma?"

Grandma also caught off guard responded; "I don't know either. My Mother always did it that way and she is lying down upstairs. Go ask her."

The young tot trotted upstairs where her great Grandma was. After seeing her great grandma was up popped the question;
"Mom-mom, Mom is down stairs getting ready to make our Easter Sunday dinner and is preparing a ham. She is as she always cutting off both ends of the ham. I asked her why she does that and she said she didn't know and to ask Grandma. I asked Grandma and she said she didn't know either but did it because she learned it from you and told me to ask you why. So Mom-Mom, why is that whenever you make a ham you always cut both ends off?"

Great Grandma was a little more prepared and replied; "I always cut both ends of my ham off because I never had a pan big enough to put the whole ham into."

Wow! Two generations of people doing things for no rhyme or reason only because they were taught that way. And never questioned it!

Sounds like education doesn't it? From our earliest points of memory we are drilled on "go to school, get good grades, get a good job and you will succeed." What hogwash!

The fact of the matter is that formal education does precious little to prepare us for real life situations. When were we ever taught what to do about downsizing? In fact, when I started school, it is was generally believed that you would find a job, 1 job and stick with that the rest of your life.

We were taught that a JOB was right up there with God and Family. Sorry, but I think too much of God and my Family to insult them by comparing them to a JOB or employer.

And when were we ever taught in school about setting goals? Or communications? Or a positive attitude? How to invest? How to start a business? How to buy real estate? How to buy bonds and how long to keep them?

In "If you want to be Rich and Happy: Don't Go to School?" Kiyosaki reverses the negative programming that so many got early in their lives. You will learn how to prosper in good times and bad. You will learn how to become the kind of person who can handle any economic situation.

And unlike the two mothers, you won't just do things because "Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa/Cousin Billy/Aunt Martha/Uncle John/my school teachers or whomever taught you that way. You will learn to think for yourself. You will learn to make the right choices, not just memorize information without questioning it like the school system advocates.

I can see why this book is unpopular because some people find it so difficult to let go of outdated dogma. Tradition. What seems right. What feels good (even if it doesn't work.)Attack the school system? Be Rich and Happy Without Going to School? I personally don't know of anyone who has become Rich and Happy because of school. I do know many who are going from job to job as their companies fold or downsize due to slow growth.

A millionaire I once worked for (who had only a high school education but a net worth of over 1/4 of a billion) used to tell us "If you want to be underpaid, underemployed and underappreciated, a college degree and job is a great way to do it." He pushed entrepreneurship even among his employees.

"If You Want To Be Rich and Happy Don't Go to School? is a book that must be read by anyone who is sincerely concerned about their financial future. You must take control of your future and this book will show you how.

Rating:
Summary: WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD!!!!!
Review: Yes, thats right. The book is worth its weight in Gold!
Kiyosaki reveals the reasons why school has brought upon poverty among the poor and especially the middle class people of America. You will be amazed when you read this book how our education system brainwashes us to go to school, get good grades, and graduate to find a safe secure JOB (just-over-broke) in a large corporation in order to become a slave to corporate America...AKA LIVING IN POVERTY!!!! School always discourages you to follow your dreams in life.
Yes, Kiyosaki does repeat his ideas through Chapters (which seems tedious to read)...but it expresses it in different ways using different examples to get the readers' minds outta of rat race the education system programmed us to be in.
EXCELLENT BOOK!!!!