I picked up Robert Kiyosaki's book Rich Dad, Poor Dad from the library recently, since he was from Hawaii and I vaguely remember hearing about him in the local media at one point. I was intrigued by some of his precepts, so I picked up his other books. While interesting, none of them went into particular detail. I assumed his game Cashflow would do all he promised and that his books were simply promotional tools for them
Trouble started when I looked up his website. His Cashflow "E-Game" costs $99. Now, I know that computer games can be pricey, but this is just ridiculous. And his boardgame runs for $190! Is it really that good or is he playing everyone for suckers? And why would someone who purportedly became financially independent at age 47 need my money?
I dug a little deeper, which for me means I went on SD and did a search. I picked up TrailerParkJawa's thread on how Kiyosaki seemed to be doctoring his Amazon reviews. Off to Amazon I go. The guy has 1347 reviews, most of them four or five-star. Since I wasn't particularly looking for praise, I focused on the 2 tar and below. I had to do a bit of searching, but the ones I found seemed far more intelligent than the rave reviews, most of which consisted of anonymous reviewers talking about how they made millions of dollars and own their own villa in the south pacific after reading his books. I exaggerate, but the average intelligence level seemed disproportinately low, even on the internet. One of the reviewers mentioned John T. Reed's review of him, so Google ... away!
What I found was very interesting.
I was hoping Kiyosaki was the real thing. I really was. I was in a slump, possibly medication-assisted, and hoping for something that would motivate me. Well, his book certainly did that - but real, useful advice? Apart from common sense advice "Buy low, sell high" (which I learned from playing Elite), no, not really. At least this solves one problem - I can spend the $99+ I saved on his bizarrely colorful game on copies of Simcity 4.
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Robert Kiyosaki ... Patriot or Tyrant?
Moderator: Edi
Robert Kiyosaki ... Patriot or Tyrant?
That's the wrong way to tickle Mary, that's the wrong way to kiss!
Don't you know that, over here lad, they like it best like this!
Hooray, pour les français! Farewell, Angleterre!
We didn't know how to tickle Mary, but we learnt how, over there!
Don't you know that, over here lad, they like it best like this!
Hooray, pour les français! Farewell, Angleterre!
We didn't know how to tickle Mary, but we learnt how, over there!
Geez, I never really knew this guy was a fraud, although I must say that I did kinda lose the rosy tinted glasses bit.
Basically, one of my buds became an MLM recently and he asked me out for an interview. Sales pitch and all, then his uplink loaned me a book, a book written by Robert about the merits of MLM.
I was initially .... "uplifted" by his first book, Rich Dad poor dad, although reality started to creep in shortly. However, this book about MLM, with its grandiose, sweeping statements, especially about such a dubious topic soon turned me off him, and after reading more about stuff like real estate investing and stock markets, I realised what a cock of bull he was.
He advocates hedge funds, which are good for hedging risks, up to a point. However, the fact remains that none of the general populace can afford to lose the negative capital that the hedge fund risk, and its certainly not as smooth sailing as he made it out to be. Small business owner, employee, investor and big business? Maybe he's right about them having totally different attitudes, but to be honest, I known the range of them and other than a difference in social graces, I never found a huge difference in their thinking towards money.
Anyway, I taken away a lesson after the MLM thing and I resolved to just absorb the "good" stuff, same way I surivived through a Christian school. His context vs content stuff is valid to our lives. Most of us are so limited by our knowledge and skills, our content, that we are afraid to do many things. And adding on more content, more skill and knowledge really isn't going to make a difference in our lives if we don't change the way we live and view it.
Anyway, my two cents worth.
Basically, one of my buds became an MLM recently and he asked me out for an interview. Sales pitch and all, then his uplink loaned me a book, a book written by Robert about the merits of MLM.
I was initially .... "uplifted" by his first book, Rich Dad poor dad, although reality started to creep in shortly. However, this book about MLM, with its grandiose, sweeping statements, especially about such a dubious topic soon turned me off him, and after reading more about stuff like real estate investing and stock markets, I realised what a cock of bull he was.
He advocates hedge funds, which are good for hedging risks, up to a point. However, the fact remains that none of the general populace can afford to lose the negative capital that the hedge fund risk, and its certainly not as smooth sailing as he made it out to be. Small business owner, employee, investor and big business? Maybe he's right about them having totally different attitudes, but to be honest, I known the range of them and other than a difference in social graces, I never found a huge difference in their thinking towards money.
Anyway, I taken away a lesson after the MLM thing and I resolved to just absorb the "good" stuff, same way I surivived through a Christian school. His context vs content stuff is valid to our lives. Most of us are so limited by our knowledge and skills, our content, that we are afraid to do many things. And adding on more content, more skill and knowledge really isn't going to make a difference in our lives if we don't change the way we live and view it.
Anyway, my two cents worth.
Let him land on any Lyran world to taste firsthand the wrath of peace loving people thwarted by the myopic greed of a few miserly old farts- Katrina Steiner
Yeah. He's not a bad read, as long as you ignore all the stuff pertaining to finance.
That's the wrong way to tickle Mary, that's the wrong way to kiss!
Don't you know that, over here lad, they like it best like this!
Hooray, pour les français! Farewell, Angleterre!
We didn't know how to tickle Mary, but we learnt how, over there!
Don't you know that, over here lad, they like it best like this!
Hooray, pour les français! Farewell, Angleterre!
We didn't know how to tickle Mary, but we learnt how, over there!
-
TrailerParkJawa
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 5850
- Joined: 2002-07-04 11:49pm
- Location: San Jose, California
I originally got interested in this guy when I saw his informercial late at night.
I found the reviews at Amazon to be in interesting dark side of the net.
If you watch you will see similar behavior for other commercial endevours.
Even 60 minutes had a spot on a marketing firm that is hired to go out on the net into chat rooms , BSS, etc and talk up a product.
Anyhoo, as you noticed Robert's frothing at the mouth supports are long on platitudes and short on specifics. John Reed does a good job of taking him apart. I did sing up for the BBS at the Rich Dad Poor Dad website, and debated people there from time to time. Mainly on housing in my area and general stuff. I was expecting to have some of my posts deleted, but they were not. So to be fair, it seems they allow some level of criticism on the site.
Bascially, it comes down to this. If you see a guy giving advice on the TV that does not always mean they are a con artist. However, when all their seminars are expensive, at hotels right next to the airport, the TV is short on specifics, you should start to wonder.
Real Estate is how many people build up money for retirement, NEVER see it as a get rich scheme.
I found the reviews at Amazon to be in interesting dark side of the net.
If you watch you will see similar behavior for other commercial endevours.
Even 60 minutes had a spot on a marketing firm that is hired to go out on the net into chat rooms , BSS, etc and talk up a product.
Anyhoo, as you noticed Robert's frothing at the mouth supports are long on platitudes and short on specifics. John Reed does a good job of taking him apart. I did sing up for the BBS at the Rich Dad Poor Dad website, and debated people there from time to time. Mainly on housing in my area and general stuff. I was expecting to have some of my posts deleted, but they were not. So to be fair, it seems they allow some level of criticism on the site.
Bascially, it comes down to this. If you see a guy giving advice on the TV that does not always mean they are a con artist. However, when all their seminars are expensive, at hotels right next to the airport, the TV is short on specifics, you should start to wonder.
Real Estate is how many people build up money for retirement, NEVER see it as a get rich scheme.
MEMBER of the Anti-PETA Anti-Facist LEAGUE