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第11部分（第2页）

As　their　ines　go　up。。。their　expenses　go　up　as　well。

The　No。　1　expense　for　most　people　is　taxes。　Many　people　think　its　ine　tax；　but　for　most　Americans　their　highest　tax　is　Social　Security。　As　an　employee；　it　appears　as　if　the　Social　Security　tax　bined　with　the　Medicare　tax　rate　is　roughly　7。5　percent；　but　its　really　15　percent　since　the　employer　must　match　the　Social　Security　amount。　In　essence；　it　is　money　the　employer　cannot　pay　you。　　On　top　of　that；　you　still　have　to　pay　ine　tax　on　the　amount　deducted　from　your　wages　for　Social　Security　tax；　ine　you　never　receive　because　it　went　directly　to　Social　Security　through　withholding。　　Then；　their　liabilities　go　up。

This　is　best　demonstrated　by　going　back　to　the　young　couple。　As　a　result　of　their　ines　going　up；　they　decide　to　go　out　and　buy　the　house　of　their　dreams。　　Once　in　their　house；　they　have　a　new　tax；　called　property　tax。　Then；　they　buy　a　new　car；　new　furniture　and　new　appliances　to　match　＇heir　new　house。　Ail　of　a　sudden；　they　wake　up　and　their　liabilities　column　is　full　of　mortgage　debt　and　credit…card　debt。

Theyre　now　trapped　in　the　rat　race。　A　child　es　along。　They　work　harder。　　The　process　repeats　itself。　　More　money　and　higher　taxes；　also　called　bracket　creep；　A　credit　card　es　in　the　mail。　They　use　it。　It　maxes　out。　　A　loan　pany　calls　and　says　their　greatest　〃asset；〃　their　home；　has　appreciated　in　value。　The　pany　offers　a　〃bill　consolidation〃　loan；　because　their　credit　is　so　good；　and　tells　them　the　intelligent　thing　to　do　is　clear　off　the　high…interest　consumer　debt　by　paying　off　their　credit　card。　And　besides；　interest　on　their　home　is　a　tax　deduction。　They　go　for　it；　and　pay　off　those　high…interest　credit　cards。　They　breathe　a　sigh　of　relief。　Their　credit　cards　are　paid　off。　Theyve　now　folded　their　consumer　debt　into　their　home　mortgage。　　Their　payments　go　down　because　they　extend　their　debt　over　30　years。　　It　is　the　smart　thing　to　do。

Their　neighbor　calls　to　invite　them　to　go　shopping…the　Memorial　Day　sale　is　on。　A　chance　to　save　some　money。　They　say　to　themselves；　〃I　wont　buy　anything。　Ill　just　go　look。〃　But　just　in　case　they　find　something；　they　tuck　that　clean　credit　card　inside　their　wallet。

I　run　into　this　young　couple　all　the　time。　Their　names　change；　but　their　financial　dilemma　is　the　same。　They　e　to　one　of　my　talks　to　hear　what　I　have　to　say。　They　ask　me；　〃Can　you　tell　us　how　to　make　more　money？〃　Their　spending　habits　have　caused　them　to　seek　more　ine。

They　dont　even　know　that　the　trouble　is　really　how　they　choose　to　spend　the　money　they　do　have；　and　that　is　the　real　cause　of　their　financial　struggle。　It　is　caused　by　financial　illiteracy　and　not　understanding　the　difference　between　an　asset　and　a　liability。

More　money　seldom　solves　someones　money　problems。　　Intelligence　solves　problems；　There　is　a　saying　a　friend　of　mine　says　over　and　over　to　people　in　debt。

〃If　you　find　you　have　dug　yourself　into　a　hole。。。　stop　digging。〃

As　a　child；　my　dad　often　told　us　that　the　Japanese　were　aware　of　three　powers；　〃The　power　of　the　sword；　the　jewel　and　the　mirror。〃

The　sword　symbolizes　the　power　of　weapons。　America　has　spent　trillions　of　dollars　on　weapons　and；　because　of　this；　is　the　supreme　military　presence　in　the　world。

The　jewel　symbolizes　the　power　of　money。　There　is　some　degree　of　truth　to　the　saying；　〃Remember　the　golden　rule。　He　who　has　the　gold　makes　the　rules。〃

The　mirror　symbolizes　the　power　of　self…knowledge。　This　self…knowledge；　according　to　Japanese　legend；　was　the　most　treasured　of　the　three。

The　poor　and　middle　class　all　loo　often　allow　the　power　of　money　to　control　them。　By　simply　getting　up　and　working　harder；　failing　to　ask　themselves　if　what　they　do　makes　sense；　they　shoot　themselves　in　the　foot　as　they　leave　for　work　every　morning。　By　not　fully　understanding　nioney；　the　vast　majority　of　people　allow　the　awesome　power　of　money　to　control　them。　The　power　of　money　is　used　against　them。

If　they　used　the　power　of　the　mirror；　they　would　have　asked　themselves；　　〃Does　this　make　sense？〃　All　too　often；　instead　of　trusting　their　inner　wisdom；　that　genius　inside　of　them；　most　people　go　along　with　the　crowd。　They　do　things　because　everybody　else　does　it。　They　　conform　rather　than　question。　　Often；　they　mindlessly　repeat　what　they　have　been　told。　Ideas　such　as　〃diversify〃　or　〃your　home　is　an　asset。〃　〃Your　home　is　your　biggest　investment。〃　　〃You　get　a　tax　break　for　going　into　greater　debt。〃　　〃Get　a　safe　job。〃　〃Dont　make　mistakes。〃　　〃Dont　take　risks。〃

It　is　said　that　the　fear　of　public　speaking　is　a　fear　greater　than　death　for　most　people。　According　to　psychiatrists；　the　fear　of　public　speaking　is　caused　by　the　fear　of　ostracism；　the　fear　of　standing　out；　the　fear　of　criticism；　the　fear　of　ridicule；　the　fear　of　being　an　outcast。　The　fear　of　being　different　prevents　most　people　from　seeking　new　ways　to　solve　their　problems。

That　is　why　my　educated　dad　said　the　Japanese　valued　the　power　of　the　mirror　the　most；　for　it　is　only　when　we　as　humans　look　into　the　mirror　do　we　find　truth。　And　the　main　reason　that　most　people　say　〃Play　it　safe1　is　out　of　fear。　That　goes　for　anything；　be　it　sports；　relationships；　career；　money。

It　is　that　same　fear；　the　fear　of　ostracism　that　causes　people　to　conform　and　not　question　monly　accepted　opinions　or　popular　trends。　　〃Your　home　is　an　asset。〃　〃Get　a　bill　consolidation　loan　and　get　out　of　debt。〃　　〃Work　harder。〃　　〃Its　a　promotion。〃　〃Someday　Ill　be　a　vice　president。〃　〃Save　money。〃　〃When　！　get　a　raise；　Ill　buy　us　a　bigger　house。〃　　〃Mutual　funds　are　safe。〃　〃Tickle　Me　Elmo　dolls　are　out　of　stock；　but　I　just　happen　to　have　one　in　back　that　another　customer　has　not　e　by　for　yet。〃

Many　great　financial　problems　are　caused　by　going　along　with　the　crowd　and　trying　to　keep　up　with　the　Joneses。　　Occasionally；　we　all　need　to　look　in　the　mirror　and　be　true　to　our　inner　wisdom　rather　than　our　fears。

By　the　time　Mike　and　I　were　16　years　old；　we　began　to　have　problems　in　school。　We　were　not　bad　kids。　We　just　began　to　separate　from　the　crowd。　We　worked　for　Mikes　dad　after　school　and　on　the　weekends。　　Mike　and　I　often　spent　hours　after　work　just　sitting　at　a　table　with　his　dad　while　he　held　meetings　with　his　bankers；　attorneys；　accountants；　brokers；　investors；　managers　and　employees。　Here　was　a　man　who　had　left　school　at　the　age　of　13；　now　directing；　instructing；　ordering　and　asking　questions　of　educated　people。　They　came　at　his　beck　and　call；　and　cringed　when　he　did　not　approve　of　them。

Here　was　a　man　who　had　not　gone　along　with　the　crowd。　　　He　wa

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