Right place as in a born into a capitalist economy with a diversified stock market, sure.
There has never been a wrong time to invest in stocks over this time period. Ever.
He just diversified well - this was his strength. This is easier to do now through ETFs
Anyone can do this.
Read is an example of what people CAN do.
Stock isn’t free money just because you put money in. Stock investment requires good business sense and street smart, gotta research carefully or else you’ll lose money. But big companies are stable but rate of return is lower
That’s why index funds exist. You don’t have to do any thinking or analysing 
just don’t get stressed and sell during a downturn
I just believe everyone born into a freeish or even not particularly free but well run (China) place has the ability to do and be anything they want to be. And earn anything they want to earn.
The rest is up to them. We are products of our choices. I will likely never have a salary as high as @Poundsand but that is due to my own choices and goals. Will I have the same amount of assets as him when we’re both 60? Who knows, but it isn’t impossible. There’s no ceiling. Nothing is stopping me but me.
Really? I bought Boeing stock as soon as Russia invaded Ukraine. After all Boeing being a large military contractor would get contracts from US government. Stock was up near 70% in 12 months.
I bought Qantas, FCTG, Aukland airport and Sydney airport right at the beginning of Covid. Made a 35% return in 3 months - it paid for my husband’s Australian PR application.
People over complicate things, especially the news 
You spelled could wrong, and then capitalized it.
10 years ago, I’d agree with you. I very nearly was Mr Read, but with a patent and a degree. I’ll warrant the US government never lovingly bent Mr Read and his peers over a barrel for 10 years in arguably the largest takings in US history.
Circumstances exist, and luck happens. In agreement to your position, and please listen up, @Taiwan_Luthiers , luck is simply preparation divided by opportunity. With enough preparation, you can make more out of the few opportunities that present themselves.
TWL, You can feel like you’re out of time, I certainly do, and I think I may be 1 or 2 college degrees older than you. Try your best to retrain your reflex perspective away from that place. It may get in your way.
I guess we disagree here. I still believe it’s possible.
I’m not American so I have no idea. But the Australian stock market has performed similarly without recession so I guess that’s my luck.
And even aside from stocks. Owning a business is something all truly wealth people have in common. Stocks are just the easiest way for the average Joe to own a business. It’s not the only way to own a business.
This is fantastic life advice 
We are lucky though. As non residents in Australia we do not need to pay tax on stock market profits.
I didn’t realize this spin-off topic would be so controversial. Already 83 replies in 8 hours!
Just to add my two cents… I totally think my college education was a big waste of time.
Did my university degree open more opportunities for me? Sure, but the thing about opportunities, is that they only benefit you if you actually accept them…
… and I didn’t accept them. I’m happy with that.
Would a future master’s degree open more opportunities for me? Sure. Would I accept those opportunities? Nope.
Yeah, education is just another opportunity. It happens to be one that pays off for most people, but like other opportunities sometimes it doesn’t pay off and sometimes it isnt necessary.
I never learned to drive a car. Mostly that doesn’t impact my life, sometimes it kinda does. People don’t need to learn to drive cars, but people who do have more future opportunities than people who don’t. Edumacation
Wait… what? Aren’t you from suburban Canada? How did you survive?
If you could pay tuition with a summer job, then sure, college is good. But that time is long past. Now you must take on huge debts to go to school. Not worth it.
Does it impact other people’s lives? My sister would say the same thing as you but I was her taxi for nearly 7 years until I moved to Taiwan. Now my mum, and her husband are her taxi
I work in the travel industry and having a degree certainly wouldn’t open any extra doors for me. Why bother 
I don’t think anyone can say definitively whether it’s worth it. It might be for some. For others, not so much.
If you need to take on a lifetime of debt, it’s not worth it unless it’s for medicine or engineering.
Walk, bike, rollerblade, canoe, friends
Still kinda depends on the specifics. Yeah, you’re not paying international student tuition and fees at Harvard slinging burgers for a few months. But local student tuition at a national university in Taiwan is much less even without a scholarship
My degree was in Hospitality and Tourism Management, and I’m a freelance web designer now. Go figure.
Sure, but there are inexpensive universities. I certainly did not take on a lifetime of debt.
Don’t knock slinging burgers. A McDonald’s franchisee paid for my tertiary education. I don’t have a bachelors degree but I have part of one. You can check the AQF and TAFE system of Australia if you can be bothered.
I could have continued with McDonald’s and ended up with needing to do less than a year of actual university study to get a degree. Alas, this is not the path I chose.
My new employer in Australia has a similar system which I plan on using. I will ‘study’ through them and not incur a cent of student debt. If I ever feel a degree will open more doors, I won’t have to study for long for those doors to open.
I say ‘study’ because the system for TAFE education through work places is basically skipping all the theory and is just an exam based on your actual work that is in line with the course requirements. Your hours worked count towards hours studied.