Keeping it Simple...Ben Stein...

[Milton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaHa Are we allowed to criticize Kiyosaki?

Of course you're free to do whatever you wish. I merely suggest that argumentum ad hominem is a bad habit to fall into. Really, it's just mental sloppiness.

With specific reference to Kiyosaki: the evidence suggests that he is anything but an idiot. His books and articles are riddled with errors, but he is laughing all the way to the bank.

[Sam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milton With specific reference to Kiyosaki: the evidence suggests that he is anything but an idiot. His books and articles are riddled with errors, but he is laughing all the way to the bank.

So what is he then? A successful businessman, a con artist, a criminal? Help!

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam So what is he then? A successful businessman, a con artist, a criminal? Help!

Since his writing appears to be the worst kind of pandering that no one here could fail to spot as crap, he has to be either an idiot or a dishonest rogue who doesn't mind leading his book buyers astray. There are many popular authors who give good advice in a popular format. Ben Stein and Suze Orman are Yahoo journalists in this higher quality category who come readily to mind.

Ha

[maddythebeagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclemick2 I think Ben's point is to keep it simple, don't own a lot of stuff - or at some point your stuff will own you - Sort of like one of those B Horror movies. But then I read between the lines a lot. heh heh heh :

Well said from the member that has lived it Care to take a shot at the B movie title "attack of the multiple car insurance and registration bills" :P

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaHa Are we allowed to criticize Kiyosaki?

Only the parts he's lied about...

[d]

since K implies, in many if not all of his writings, that most of us are idiots, i see no problem in calling him a @#$(#! !!

[megacorp-firee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam So what is he then? A successful businessman, a con artist, a criminal? Help!

I vote for door number 1.2 .. .successful con artist.

[clifp]

My older sister and her husband are looking at retiring soon (he just turned 59.5), since sadly he seems to accumulate things at prodigious rate and spend money LBYM has been a challenge even for my frugal sister.

This Xmas I spent an afternoon reading the retirement books at Borders, I finally narrowed it down to two. Ben's book on retirement, Yes, You Can Still Retire Comfortably while far from perfect, was head and shoulder above the rest of the crap out there. Kiyosaki, being a local boy sadly has several feet of shelf space.

Unfortunately, they haven't read it yet...

[teejayevans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaHa Are we allowed to criticize Kiyosaki? Ha

ok, now he is an idiot based on the comments I read.

BTW, are we sure he just doesn't have a dry sense of humor? And the part about
the lottery was in jest?

TJ

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clifp Kiyosaki, being a local boy sadly has several feet of shelf space.

He may be a kama'aina but I doubt that he feels welcome around here...

[bssc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords He may be a kama'aina but I doubt that he feels welcome around here...

I think that he claims Phoenix as home although I have not had the privledge of meeting him.

[tikitoast]

I hung out with Ben Stein briefly in the early 1990's. He worships the affluent and is an image spender par excellence. He probably feels he should be doing something other than spending every dime he gets, but his lifestyle requires that he fit in with the celebrities he constantly courts. So he's conflicted. I have this image of him sitting there curled up with his head in his hands, moaning: "I'm so worried about money..."

The gist of one of his self-help articles for women was: "Girls, stop beating up on your boyfriend/spouse/husband/significant other! He's the real victim in any relationship, not you! You're just a stupid, self-obsessed tramp!" (Or words to that effect.) Frankly he doesn't know much about relationships either, but that doesn't stop him writing about them.

I shouldn't have said any of this, it's probably bad karma...I try to stay positive and not trash people who've done me wrong. But boy, did that guy wreck my life for about a year.

[Cut-Throat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tikitoast I hung out with Ben Stein briefly in the early 1990's. He worships the affluent and is an image spender par excellence. He probably feels he should be doing something other than spending every dime he gets, but his lifestyle requires that he fit in with the celebrities he constantly courts. So he's conflicted. I have this image of him sitting there curled up with his head in his hands, moaning: "I'm so worried about money..." The gist of one of his self-help articles for women was: "Girls, stop beating up on your boyfriend/spouse/husband/significant other! He's the real victim in any relationship, not you! You're just a stupid, self-obsessed tramp!" (Or words to that effect.) Frankly he doesn't know much about relationships either, but that doesn't stop him writing about them. I shouldn't have said any of this, it's probably bad karma...I try to stay positive and not trash people who've done me wrong. But boy, did that guy wreck my life for about a year.

Yup! - He sounds like an Idiot to me!

[Mwsinron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tikitoast I hung out with Ben Stein briefly in the early 1990's. He worships the affluent and is an image spender par excellence. He probably feels he should be doing something other than spending every dime he gets, but his lifestyle requires that he fit in with the celebrities he constantly courts. So he's conflicted. I have this image of him sitting there curled up with his head in his hands, moaning: "I'm so worried about money..." The gist of one of his self-help articles for women was: "Girls, stop beating up on your boyfriend/spouse/husband/significant other! He's the real victim in any relationship, not you! You're just a stupid, self-obsessed tramp!" (Or words to that effect.) Frankly he doesn't know much about relationships either, but that doesn't stop him writing about them. I shouldn't have said any of this, it's probably bad karma...I try to stay positive and not trash people who've done me wrong. But boy, did that guy wreck my life for about a year.

Yep bad karma for sure :

[Anansi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaHa Ben Stein and Suze Orman are Yahoo journalists in this higher quality category who come readily to mind.

Suze Orman? Higher quality? Something is wrong here.

[CybrMike]

Being nosy i know, but I'd definitely like to hear more about this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tikitoast I hung out with Ben Stein briefly in the early 1990's. He worships the affluent and is an image spender par excellence. He probably feels he should be doing something other than spending every dime he gets, but his lifestyle requires that he fit in with the celebrities he constantly courts. So he's conflicted. I have this image of him sitting there curled up with his head in his hands, moaning: "I'm so worried about money..." The gist of one of his self-help articles for women was: "Girls, stop beating up on your boyfriend/spouse/husband/significant other! He's the real victim in any relationship, not you! You're just a stupid, self-obsessed tramp!" (Or words to that effect.) Frankly he doesn't know much about relationships either, but that doesn't stop him writing about them. I shouldn't have said any of this, it's probably bad karma...I try to stay positive and not trash people who've done me wrong. But boy, did that guy wreck my life for about a year.

[Milton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tikitoast Ben Stein ... worships the affluent and is an image spender par excellence.... I have this image of him sitting there curled up with his head in his hands, moaning: "I'm so worried about money..."

Hillarious!

[kcowan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tikitoast I hung out with Ben Stein briefly in the early 1990's. He worships the affluent and is an image spender par excellence. He probably feels he should be doing something other than spending every dime he gets, but his lifestyle requires that he fit in with the celebrities he constantly courts. So he's conflicted. I have this image of him sitting there curled up with his head in his hands, moaning: "I'm so worried about money...

Thanks for sharing your personal experience. It gives us a great insight into the man. And frankly it helps me to position him. I used to be troubled by his obscure positions that did not seem to make sense from an otherwise sensible man. Now I understand that he is a sycophant and his various opinions are intended to improve his position with his target groups.

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcowan Thanks for sharing your personal experience. It gives us a great insight into the man. And frankly it helps me to position him. I used to be troubled by his obscure positions that did not seem to make sense from an otherwise sensible man. Now I understand that he is a sycophant and his various opinions are intended to improve his position with his target groups.

Ben Stein.......

Like most of his advice, except his promotion of annuities
Hate his politics
Liked him in Ferris Beuller

[Milton]

FWIW, here is a link to a recent background article on Ben Stein, as published in the Yale Economic Review magazine:

http://www.yaleeconomicreview.com/is...g2006/benstein