沸腾文学

第8部分（第2页）

〃So　youve　been　talking　about　the　fear　of　not　having　money。　How　does　the　desire　of　money　affect　our　thinking？〃　Mike　asked。

〃How　did　you　feel　when　I　tempted　you　with　a　pay　raise？　Did　you　notice　your　desires　rising？〃

We　nodded　our　heads。

〃By　not　giving　in　to　your　emotions；　you　were　able　to　delay　your　reactions　and　think。　That　is　most　important。　We　will　always　have　emotions　of　fear　and　greed。　From　here　on　in；　it　is　most　important　for　you　to　use　those　emotions　to　your　advantage　and　for　the　long　term；　and　not　simply　let　your　emotions　run　you　by　controlling　your　thinking。　Most　people　use　fear　and　greed　against　themselves。　Thats　the　start　of　ignorance。　Most　people　live　their　lives　chasing　paychecks；　pay　raises　and　job　security　because　of　the　emotions　of　desire　and　fear；　not　really　questioning　where　those　emotion…driven　thoughts　are　leading　them。　Its　just　like　the　picture　of　a　donkey；　dragging　a　cart；　with　its　owner　dangling　a　carrot　just　in　front　of　the　donkeys　nose。　The　donkeys　owner　may　be　going　where　he　wants　to　go；　but　the　donkey　is　chasing　an　illusion。　Tomorrow　there　will　only　be　another　carrot　for　the　donkey。〃

〃You　mean　the　moment　I　began　to　picture　a　new　baseball　glove；　candy　and　toys；　thats　like　a　carrot　to　a　donkey？〃　Mike　asked。

〃Yeah。　And　as　you　get　older；　your　toys　get　more　expensive。　A　new　car；　a　boat　and　a　big　house　to　impress　your　friends；〃　said　rich　dad　with　a　smile。　〃Fear　pushes　you　out　the　door；　and　desire　calls　to　you。　Enticing　you　toward　the　rocks。　Thats　the　trap。〃

〃So　whats　the　answer；〃　Mike　asked。

〃What　intensifies　fear　and　desire　is　ignorance。　That　is　why　rich　people　with　lots　of　money　often　have　more　fear　the　richer　they　get。　Money　is　the　carrot；　the　illusion。　If　the　donkey　could　see　the　whole　picture；　it　might　rethink　its　choice　to　chase　the　carrot。〃

Rich　dad　went　on　to　explain　that　a　humans　life　is　a　struggle　between　ignorance　and　illumination。

He　explained　that　once　a　person　stops　searching　for　information　and　knowledge　of　ones　self；　ignorance　sets　in。　That　struggle　is　a　moment…to…moment　decision…to　learn　to　open　or　close　ones　mind。

〃Look；　school　is　very；　very　important。　You　go　to　school　to　learn　a　skill　or　profession　so　as　to　be　a　contributing　member　of　society。　Every　culture　needs　teachers；　doctors；　mechanics；　artists；　cooks；　business　people；　police　officers；　firefighters；　soldiers。　Schools　train　them　so　our　culture　can　thrive　and　flourish；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Unfortunately；　for　many　people；　school　is　the　end；　not　the　beginning。〃

There　was　a　long　silence。　Rich　dad　was　smiling。　I　did　not　prehend　everything　he　said　that　day。　But　as　with　most　great　teachers；　whose　words　continue　to　teach　for　years；　often　long　after　theyre　gone；　his　words　are　still　with　me　today。

〃Ive　been　a　little　cruel　today；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Cruel　for　a　reason。　I　want　you　to　always　remember　this　talk。　I　want　you　to　always　think　of　Mrs。　Martin。　I　want　you　always　to　think　of　the　donkey。　Never　forget；　because　your　two　emotions；　fear　and　desire；　can　lead　you　into　lifes　biggest　trap；　if　youre　not　aware　of　them　controlling　your　thinking。　To　spend　your　life　living　in　fear；　never　exploring　your　dreams；　is　cruel。　To　work　hard　for　money；　thinking　that　money　will　buy　you　things　that　will　make　you　happy　is　also　cruel。　To　wake　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　terrified　about　paying　bills　is　a　horrible　way　to　live。　To　live　a　life　dictated　by　the　size　of　a　paycheck　is　not　really　a　life。　Thinking　that　a　job　will　make　you　feel　secure　is　lying　to　yourself。　Thats　cruel；　and　thats　the　trap　I　want　you　to　avoid；　if　possible。　Ive　seen　how　money　runs　peoples　lives。　Dont　let　that　happen　to　you。　Please　dont　let　money　run　your　life。〃

A　softball　rolled　under　our　table。　Rich　dad　picked　it　up　and　threw　it　back。

〃So　what　does　ignorance　have　to　do　with　greed　and　fear？〃　I　asked。

〃Because　it　is　ignorance　about　money　that　causes　so　much　greed　and　so　much　fear；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Let　me　give　you　some　examples。　A　doctor；　wanting　more　money　to　better　provide　for　his　family；　raises　his　fees。　By　raising　his　fees；　it　makes　health　care　more　expensive　for　everyone。　Now；　it　hurts　the　poor　people　the　most；　so　poor　people　have　worse　health　than　those　with　money。

〃Because　the　doctors　raise　their　rates；　the　attorneys　raise　their　rates。　Because　the　attorneys　rates　have　gone　up；　schoolteachers　want　a　raise；　which　raises　our　taxes；　and　on　and　on　and　on。　Soon；　there　will　be　such　a　horrifying　gap　between　the　rich　and　the　poor　that　chaos　will　break　out　and　another　great　civilization　will　collapse。　Great　civilizations　collapsed　when　the　gap　between　the　haves　and　havenots　was　too　great。　America　is　on　the　same　course；　proving　once　again　that　history　repeats　itself；　because　we　do　not　learn　from　history。　We　only　memorize　historical　dates　and　names；　not　the　lesson。

〃Arent　prices　supposed　to　go　up？〃　I　asked。

〃Not　in　an　educated　society　with　a　well…run　government。　Prices　should　actually　e　down。　Of　course；　that　is　often　only　true　in　theory。　Prices　go　up　because　of　greed　and　fear　caused　by　ignorance。　If　schools　taught　people　about　money；　there　would　be　more　money　and　lower　prices；　but　schools　focus　only　on　teaching　people　to　work　for　money；　not　how　to　harness　moneys　power。〃

〃But　dont　we　have　business　schools？〃　Mike　asked。　〃Arent　you　encouraging　me　to　go　to　business　school　for　my　masters　degree？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃But　all　too　often；　business　schools　train　employees　who　are　sophisticated　bean　counters。　Heaven　forbid　a　bean　counter　takes　over　a　business。　All　they　do　is　look　at　the　numbers；　fire　people　and　kill　the　business。　I　know　because　I　hire　bean　counters。　All　they　think　about　is　cutting　costs　and　raising　prices；　which　cause　more　problems。　Bean　counting　is　important。　I　wish　more　people　knew　it；　but　it；　too；　is　not　the　whole　picture；〃　added　rich　dad　angrily。

〃So　is　there　an　answer？〃　asked　Mike。

〃Yes；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Learn　to　use　your　emotions　to　think；　not　think　with　your　emotions。　When　you　boys　mastered　your　emotions；　first　by　agreeing　to　work　for　free；　I　knew　there　was　hope。　When　you　again　resisted　your　emotions　when　I　tempted　you　with　more　money；　you　were　again　learning　to　think　in　spite　of　being　emotionally　charged。　Thats　the　first　step。〃

〃Why　is　that　step　so　important〃　I　asked。

〃Well；　thats　up　to　you　to　find　out。　If　you　want　to　learn；　Ill　take　you　boys　into　the　briar　patch。　That　place　where　almost　everyone　else　avoids。　Ill　take　yo