第2部分(第2/7 頁)

y　husband　and　I　set　up　a　dinner　meeting　with　Robert　and　his　wife　within　the　next　week。　Although　it　was　our　first　social　get…together；　we　felt　as　if　we　had　known　each　other　for　years。

We　found　out　we　had　a　lot　in　mon。　We　covered　the　gamut；　from　sports　and　plays　to　restaurants　and　socio…economic　issues。　We　talked　about　the　changing　world。　We　spent　a　lot　of　time　discussing　how　most　Americans　have　little　or　nothing　saved　for　retirement；　as　well　as　the　almost　bankrupt　state　of　Social　Security　and　Medicare。　Would　my　children　be　required　to　pay　for　the　retirement　of　75　million　baby　boomers？　We　wondered　if　people　realize　how　risky　it　is　to　depend　on　a

pension　plan。

Robert's　primary　concern　was　the　growing　gap　between　the　haves　and　have　nots；　in　America　and　around　the　world。　A　self…taught；　self…made　entrepreneur　who　traveled　the　world　putting　investments　together；　Robert　was　able　to　retire　at　the　age　of　47。　He　came　out　of　retirement　because　he　shares　the　same　concern　I　have　for　my　own　children。　He　knows　that　the　world　has　changed；　but　education　has　not　changed　with　it。　According　to　Robert；　children　spend　years　in　an　antiquated　educational　system；　studying　subjects　they　will　never　use；　preparing　for　a　world　that　no　longer　exists。

〃Today；　the　most　dangerous　advice　you　can　give　a　child　is　‘Go　to　school；　get　good　grades　and　look　for　a　safe　secure　job；'　〃　he　likes　to　say。　〃That　is　old　advice；　and　it's　bad　advice。　If　you　could　see　what　is　happening　in　Asia；　Europe；　South　America；　you　would　be　as　concerned　as　I　am。〃

It's　bad　advice；　he　believes；　〃because　if　you　want　your　child　to　have　a　financially　secure　future；　they　can't　play　by　the　old　set　of　rules。　It's　just　too　risky。〃

I　asked　him　what　he　meant　by　〃old　rules？〃　。

〃People　like　me　pla