Rich Dad Poor Dad = BOGUS?
 

Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a very inspiring book re the power of individual will and planning in the quest to become rich. Here's an interesting 'critique' of the whole Kiyosaki Rich Dad Poor Dad phenomenon:

http://www.johntreed.com/Kiyosaki.html

Here's the difficult question: If you gain something REAL out of a book's message, is the gain diminished or cheapened if you find out that the book was a LIE? This question, undoubtedly, can be applied to both self-help gurus and religious/spiritual or political teachers.

Discuss (after reading the John Reed link)

Nope, it should hold it's weight regardless of the truth /lack of truth behind it.

Interesting analysis. Hence, a message's EFFECT achieves a reality independent of any LIE it was borne of? A possible example would be that the Declaration of Independence's statement that all men are equal while being a LIE at the time it was written (T. Jefferson and many of the Independence crew owned slaves) achieved an independent reality later. Indeed, the 13th amendment and later Civil Rights laws in the 60's aimed to hone this independent reality.

Reed really laid it into Kiyosaki with this MONEY quote:
"Contempt for traditional education and the educated
The book is almost entirely contemptuous of formal education and those who have graduated from universities. He wrote another book called If you want to be rich and happy, don't go to school? On page 64, he delights in the fact that (quotation marks)educated people(quotation marks); now (quotation marks);came at [rich dads] beck and call, and cringed when he did not approve of them.(quotation marks); This is a bit sick. To borrow a phrase that is now a common sitcom punch line, I think Kiyosaki has (quotation marks)some issues(quotation marks); regarding educated people and his relationship with his highly educated (quotation marks)poor dad.(quotation marks) He seems to have some psychological need to dominate and demean people like his father. At my guru-rating page, I said Dave Del Dotto was the dumbest of the real-estate gurus. Kiyosaki takes the prize for the real-estate guru with the most tangled psyche."

I have to admit, there is a psychological appeal/tension in the title "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." As Freud identified, the father / son relationship is one of the most common sources of angst that most males can relate to. Kiyosaki's framing of his advice book within such a relationship adds to the ability of his book's ability to connect. It taps into the psychological impulse for males to compare themselves to their fathers and their fathers' expectations.

I was at the bookstore with my kid the other day. I saw a sweet, little family: mom, dad and a boy and girl.

I heard the dad ask: "Anything else you guys want from here?"

The boy said: "Let's get that book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad"

Both the mom and dad's faces fell and there was a huge silence.

I wanted to throttle that kid.

Good book for beginners of economics. I don't think it matters if the history behind his stories are true or not. But they make the book abit easier to read and understand. Especially for someone not too economic from the beginning.

The book to me, at first read, seems to be an advertisement for that game of his "cashflow".

But at the same time, it's a good slap in the face to those who are caught up in the rat race.

Regardless whether it is fact or fiction, it makes sense.... and the lessons he teaches within are sound.

i read a few of the rich dad poor dad books. i learned more about myself and habits and the future i will have because of behavior than any other thing i have read or done.

easy reading too. i flew through the pages...


btw, this is one rare thread: a thead of pupose and meaning!

Very poignant story. There's this very rich guy (I forgot his name) who kept ragging on his father because he was as "poor as a church mouse" or something to that effect. Talk about issues. A parent's responsibility to a child is to take care of that child...not necessarily provide a RICH household for that child.

My parents were dirt poor when we immigrated from the Philippines to the US but their struggles enriched me in more ways than money ever could. It helped me realize the value of sacrifice, saving, taking risks, and being strong. I can't repay them enough for that.

Yeah, that's part of what the book is teaching me... not necessarily to be RICH for my child, but to take care of him. And in doing so, to teach him how to be RICH. Or at least, to teach him to do things better than I did.

And that going to school, getting good grades and then finding a secure job he can do forever.... just might not be the way to do it.

My oldest uncle is somewhat like the rich man you described. My mother's family was very poor and my uncle would take vegetables from the farm into town in order to make money. He swore he would not be poor when he grew up.

Long story short, he's a billionaire, on his third wife and his kids no longer speak to him.

My dad was a middle class guy. We never had lots but we had enough. Most importantly, we had a father that was always there for us and when he had extra money, we were the ones he spent it on. He's gone now, along with mom and I miss them every damned day.

I read the book, I liked the book, and I do not care if its not true.
While it may not be very informative when it comes to "how" to get rich it is certainly very motovational, and thought provoking.

Maybe this guy should have read the book before remodelling his home.

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1714106.html?menu=

doesn't matter there's lots of lies in the book, as they may be, the book is still worth reading. it's what you dig out that matters, the facts true or not, don't

I read it as fiction, though the message probably would have been more powerful if in fact the stories in there are true...

I loved the books. I found them to be great reads and makes you think about your own finances.

that site is really interesting

Jesus holy christ I just downloaded the audio/dvd the other day.

Robert Kiyosaki kicks ass. :)

A litterature teacher might never write a single book, but he could have the most understanding of litterature and be the worlds best litterature teacher.

Very intersting site. If what John Reed writes is true, Rich Dad should be moved to the fiction section. And it makes Kiyosaki no better than James Frey (A million little pieces).

That site is really old.

Rich Dad Poor Dad is just another motivation book, it has some good ideas (most of them not original).

After you get motivated by that book you'll need to look for some real information on investment or business.

Never read the other books on the series but htey look like pure bs.

Kind of off-topic, but it seems that every time i walk past his section at the bookstore, i'm accosted by some annoying MLM creep.

are you talking about the bible?

:1orglaugh reed calls kiyosaki and his followers a cult - its a motivational book nothing more.

reed sells books on real estate and motivation himself and comes off as a delusional jealous cocksmoker.

Read his books a few years ago, if you look at it as "financial philosophy" instead of a hard-and-true instructional read it can be motivating. Although all the books in the series after the original seemed like a rehash of the first :2 cents:

This is an interesting topic in light of the recent James Frey flap. Both books were written under the guise of non-fiction. But millions have been moved by them to make positive changes. Do the ends justify the means? My personal opinion in these cases is yes.

My question is how many people have made life-altering changes in behavior or philosophy based on books published as fiction? Surely there are some?

Ok that link is way too long to read :). However my own opinion is that Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a good book for someone beginning to invest or looking for some guidance. It has a few simple ideas and generally good advice.

However, the millions of other products he has, board games, seminar, other books are just the same idea repeated over and over with little additional value at all.

Has he been on Opera yet?

john reed is just jealous, and his web site is clearly designed by a five year old

normal people don't write million word essays complaining about a book

There's a lot to be said for this observation since, ultimately, people make their own reality. Everything we perceive--we perceive through social, cultural, political, and personal filters. Two people can look at the same FACT and walk away with two or more "Truths". With that said, does this dynamic CHEAPEN the notion of THE TRUTH? Or... in this postmodern deconstructivist world, there is REALLY no such thing as an ABSOLUTE truth? Discuss.

Another example of this "independent reality" arising from a LIE is the anti-sex discrimination provision of the 1965 Civil Rights Act in the US. That provision was just snuck in by some politician in an effort to kill the bill since it would have such a 'fringe' (at that time) provision that it would torpedo its chances. It didn't work and the bill passed. Now that provision is heavily used in sex harassment and sex discrimination cases. While originally a cruel inside joke and maliciously motivated attempt at blocking legal progress, it now lives up to its textual promise.

Excellent question, and actually the second time in two weeks I've had a discussion on "absolutes". The last one was a little more tongue in cheek, as it was with one of my best friends (a guy) who insists there is no such thing as a "Perfect Ten" on the rating scale of guys/girls. His position is that there are no absolutes. My position is that the rating is entirely subjective to the reviewer and in that light one person's 6 is another person's perfection. And from there we entered the chicken and the egg circular convo :winkwink:

So, in relation to this discussion, another question: is truth subjective? Who decides which person's perception of the same event to be honest or more factual? The reader/consumer/student? Or is the perception of truth ultimately based on a consensus among a group? And, most importantly, is the ever-present "Would you hit it?" post on GFY evidence of this? :1orglaugh

My :2 cents: is that in marketing these two books as non-fiction, yes they have cheapened the concept of "truth". But I wonder if I would have known of them or bought & read them if they were fiction? Probably not. And I'm happy to have read them and applied some of the insights to my life.

Ok that's way more thinking than I planned on doing on GFY - EVER! :1orglaugh

Thanks for this thread Gene

I find John T. Reedhahaha8217;s site to be a gold mine and one of the most interesting websites I checked in a LONG time.

ask anyone who believes in the bible...

i really liked the book. i found myself questioning how legit some of the stories were in the book, but they do a good job teaching and i think the parts he makes up helps get the point across better.

Interresting and thought provoking responses :thumbsup I enjoyed the book but read everything with a sceptical eye. Bottom line was it gave me a motivational push at the time I needed it most so it served its purpose weather its true or not.

As far as the education question...I find a lot of truth in the message.

Unfortunately, the dynamic I asked about is not limited just to spiritual or philosophical teachings but also to political pronouncements re the 'true nature of man'. In particular, Rousseau and Karl Marx come to mind. The latter's false reading re the 'true nature' of man doomed quite a huge number of people to misery for quite some time.

Interesting read and thread, thanks Gene

"Rich Dad" as a person, never existed. This is no big secret

John T Rreed has too much time on his hands :1orglaugh

that book has changed my life and persective on makeing money in this world

If cashing your checks, paying your bills and filing your taxes don't make you think about your finances then this book isn't going to help.

His advice is crap. Most if it is wrong or at worst illegal. Almost everything he said about his life is a lie so why would you take advise from that guy?

Not to be too negative, but I found that book to be fairly useless. He could have made it a 6-page brochure with the same messages intact:

Money management is not taught in school, though it should be.
Avoid a bling-bling lifestyle.
Save money to buy assets.
Avoid liabilities (30-year mortgage, credit card debt, etc.)
Wealth = how long your investment income supports you without eating into principal.

There was some nice motivational stuff at the end about "pay yourself first," and "dollars are your employees," etc., but I really don't understand the hype over this man's "story".

The entire book would make a nice introduction to a real economics lesson, but don't read it hoping to learn anything not mentioned above.

I love how John T Reed points out how ridiculous most of the advice is in the "Rich Dad Poor Dad" book. Uneducated illiterates may buy into it, but thinking individuals will not.

Very good post, man! You broke it down...SOLID.

I try to follow the 6 tips. The best tip, IMHO, is Saving Money to buy Assets. Assets are things that put money into your pocket. Liabilities = the opposite.

I have bought 11 properties in less than 3 years with the guidance I received in Rich Dad Poor Dad.

It was the best book I ever read :)

DH

are you serious man? :helpme

both robert kiyosaki and john reed write pretty good books, one is a little more sophisticated than the other, but good all the same.

that john reed page about robert kiyosaki has been around since before I read the book in 2001. it is actually what made me read rich dad poor dad.

this is the original response from robert kiyosaki regarding john reed: http://www.mastermindforum.com/kiyos...onsetoreed.htm

I don't think it matters if the shit is real or not. I don't really care if robert kiyosaki fucks corpses in his spare time as long as his information is useful.

also if you do a search on google/yahoo whatever for john reed exposed, there sure are a lot of hate sites. pretty funny shit.