Just noticed your post again. It's fine mate but thanks for...

Just noticed your post again. It's fine mate but thanks for clarifying "self-interest". Never got around to replying so my apologies. People label you with words like selfish these days. Without even knowing you as a person. No harm done as I know myself. I will be first to admit I have my degree of selfishness over the years. I never wanted to be a saint that's for sure

Here is a little nugget of wisdom for your trouble. Hope you get some value from it. It has made me a rich man and not only in terms of wealth over the years... apologies in advance if already preaching to the choir. Eerily enough it touches on inflation which is why the market is having a hissy fit after a really bad reading yesterday. Obviously the market is pricing in that its not getting a rate cut anytime soon.

Here it goes... Most people think that there are only 2 certainties in life - Death and Taxes. If you truly know how the world works and want to thrive in life in general then you need to understand that there are 3 - Death, Taxes and Debasement.

Human kind have been debasing currency since it was invented in the Kingdom of Lydia 600 BC. Debasement is by design. It started in way that those in power gave you the same weight in the coin with Cu or other impurities imbued. Then later they didn't even try to hide the fact. It was so well known that "Coin clipping" was done by authorities on Tax Collected coins so they could use the clippings to mint new coins. By 1971, through Nixon, human kind severed the last remnants of gold convertibility making all currency in the world fiat.

Nowadays. No clipping or impurities required, its not even physical anymore, these days it is done with a conceptual "Inflation target set at around 2% to 3%" and definitely a more dishonest way of doing it. The diversionary tactic of calling it Inflation puts the onus on the goods increasing in price, instead of putting the blame on the currency losing value in its purchasing power. You toil, use talent, blood, sweat, tears; in exchange you get paid in currency. Any surplus to your current needs is then stolen 2-3% every year.

We are all subject to this debasement even companies like CBA. The silver lining to this system is that you can get ahead because even a broken system inevitably has perks. Like most good things found only after looking hard enough, fully understand its flaws, stop acting like a victim and do something about it. Life is like any other game out there. Once you learn the rules, figure out how to play, make and learn from some mistakes. You invariably develop strategies to gain an advantage. Here is a couple.
1. If you can grow your intrinsic wealth more than the "2-3% pa" debasement target then you generally are ahead. The key word here is intrinsic. Property, land, bullion, art, antiques, vintage cars and fractions of a fantastic business like CBA bought at a good price. There are plenty out there to choose from. I have a collection of vintage electric guitars, valve amplifiers and guitar pedals bought 25+ years ago that are worth more than my wildest imagination today. If it is in your circle of competence go for it! This is the nice, slow and steady way of getting there. But make no mistake you will get there with this Compound Accretion method.
2. Now for the fun part. Sometimes in setting that "2-3% pa" debasement target those in power mess up and they mess up badly! They break the system. These are moments of incredible wealth transfer like you would not believe. Warren B put it simply... "When the tide goes we get to see who's swimming naked." These bare bodies who over extended themselves will be forced into a fire sale. All you have to do is buy during - market dislocations, blood on the streets etc scenario.

That's my play to get ahead in life using this flawed system we live in to do it. I will be doing it until the day comes for me on the first certainty. However let me add a further word to the wise here because not everything in life is about wealth but everything is about family. No investment is worth your relationship with your wife, kids, parents, close friends and the ones you love including yourself. So treat yourself and the ones you love with a bit of care and compassion. This kind of investment will give you dividends much more than wealth can.

On that note. After this week, I've done all my selling in May and I'm going away to somewhere warm and tropical away from the Canberra winter. For a few weeks! Enjoy all and keep safe. I doubt I will be posting anything during that period.