Investments are an interesting subject. Most of us think in terms of
financial investments. What is the next Microsoft we can run out and
invest in and get rich? Trying to get rich seems to be the western worlds
major contribution to society. The trouble it is all set in terms of
money. Social responsible investing is just a feel good way to do what you
want to do any way.
Modern society is completely based on financials. You cannot survive in
this economy with out some form of income. The days of barter or "payment
in kind" are gone in western society. There are small exceptions but
these exceptions expose the rule. So we all work for an income. We trade
our skills and labor for things we need, even the skills and labor of
others. We look to our own time in life where we will not be able to
provide as well as we can now. Some look for a cushy government job for a
retirement or a business investment that will put us on easy street. Some
just ignore the whole thing and trust in Social Security.
But there are other things to consider as investments. Knowledge is the
absolute best you can make. Knowledge of how to provide is something that
can never be taken away. I have a friend whose grandfather helped the
Jews in Germany in WWII. His father had a medical degree but was sent to
the eastern front as a foot soldier as punishment. At the end of the war a
special set of circumstances allowed him to move his family to the
US. They arrived penniless with only a few possessions. His knowledge
stored away in his head provided a good future for his family.
One of my co-workers was on one of the first boats out of Viet Nam after
the fall in 1975. His family was scattered around the world and they lost
track of his mother. His education gave him to power to build a life here
and reunite many of the family. (please read the book "Where the Ashes Are")
Don Bowen [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Valley Center, CA Senior Software Engineer
Contract software engineering
http://members.cts.com/crash/d/donb
http://www.oldengine.org/members/ihc14
http://www.oldengine.org/members/ferguson/
