第3部分(第2/7 頁)

int　of　view　by　saying；　〃The　old　man　doesn't　know　what　he's　talking　about。〃　Instead；　having　two　dads　whom　I　loved　forced　me　to　think　and　ultimately　choose　a　way　of　thinking　for　myself。　As　a　process；　choosing　for　myself　turned　out　to　be　much　more　valuable　in　the　long　run；　rather　than　simply　accepting　or　rejecting　a　single　point　of　view。

One　of　the　reasons　the　rich　get　richer；　the　poor　get　poorer；　and　the　middle　class　struggles　in　debt　is　because　the　subject　of　money　is　taught　at　home；　not　in　school。　Most　of　us　learn　about　money　from　our　parents。　So　what　can　a　poor　parent　tell　their　child　about　money？　They　simply　say　〃Stay　in　school　and　study　hard。〃　The　child　may　graduate　with　excellent　grades　but　with　a　poor　person's　financial　programming　and　mind…set。　It　was　learned　while　the　child　was　young。

Money　is　not　taught　in　schools。　Schools　focus　on　scholastic　and　professional　skills；　but　not　on　financial　skills。　This　explains　how　smart　bankers；　doctors　and　accountants　who　earned　excellent　grades　in　school　may　still　struggle　financially　all　of　their　lives。　Our　staggering　national　debt　is　due　in　large　part　to　highly　educated　politicians　and　government　officials　making　financial　decisions　with　little　or　no　training　on　the　subject　of　money。

I　often　look　ahead　to　the　new　millennium　and　wonder　what　will　happen　when　we　have　millions　of　people　who　will　need　financial　and　medical　assistance。　They　will　be　dependent　on　their　families　or　the　government　for　financial　support。　What　will　happen　when　Medicare　and　Social　Security　run　out　of　money？　How　will　a　nation　survive　if　teaching　children　about　money　continues　to　be　left　to　parents…most　of　whom　will　be；　or　already　are；　poor？

Because　I　had　two　influential　fathers；　I　learned　from　both　of　them。　I　had　to　think　about