Wealth | Loving Jacqui

India and China Do the Right Thing… Unlike Seemingly Retarded Americans (and Canadians and Australians)

Here’s an excellent article on the environment and economic (and therefore health and longevity) progress from Bret Stephens at the Wall Street Journal.

Some of my favourite points:

…

Facts tell a different story. When Deng Xiaoping began introducing elements of a market economy in 1980, Chinese life expectancy at birth was 65.3 years. Today it is about 73 years. The numbers are probably a bit inflated, as most numbers are in the People’s Republic, but the trend line is undeniable. In India, life expectancy rose from 52.5 years in 1980 to about 67 years today. If this is the consequence of following the “American economic model” then poor countries need more of it.

…

The rest is brilliant too.

Admission. Okay so my title was a bit tongue-in-cheek. I didn’t mean to imply everyone in Western nations are stupid. Capitalists come out well… and humanely.

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Book Review: “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” by T. Harv Eker

Why is it that poor people will have hundreds of thousands of dollars pass through their hands in their life, and generally will manage to somehow keep a roof over their heads with the rent paid on time or a bit late and keep the car running most of the time and that’s it?

Why do the middle class create a “comfortable” living, but still have to worry about funding college for their kids, having the freedom to take six months off work to explore… or even whether to order the steak and seafood dish they really want without first checking the price or chicken (again) when they go out to a high class restaurant?

How come often rich people who “lose it all” come roaring back with new wealth a few short years later?

What is financial wealth anyway? Income or net worth?

This book answers those question. Like most truths they’re simple.

The author is from North Vancouver, of all places, 80 km away from me.

I am usually diametrically opposed to following an author’s exhortations 100%. But. I read this book and I couldn’t find one word I disagreed with.

The author seemed to be speaking to me and seemed not only to understand what I do, but why I do what I do. He offered a prescription for change and I am heartily following it.