Going Back To School: Fighting What’s Fake

One of the most recurring ideas throughout *FAKE* is that financial success depends far more on education than on income alone. However, Robert Kiyosaki makes an important distinction between **going to school** and **becoming educated**. In this chapter, he argues that while traditional education provides valuable knowledge in many areas, it often fails to prepare people for the financial realities they face throughout adulthood. As a result, millions of intelligent and hardworking individuals enter the workforce without understanding how money, investing, taxes, debt, and entrepreneurship truly function. Kiyosaki believes that "going back to school" does not necessarily mean returning to a classroom. Instead, it means committing to lifelong financial education in order to recognize and overcome the many "fake" ideas surrounding money and wealth. Kiyosaki begins by reflecting on the limitations of the traditional education system. Schools have historically been designed to prepare students for employment by teaching literacy, mathematics, science, and professional skills. While these subjects are undeniably important, the author believes they rarely include practical financial education. Students graduate knowing how to solve equations or write essays, but many have never been taught how to read a financial statement, evaluate an investment, understand taxes, or build passive income. According to Kiyosaki, this educational gap leaves many adults financially vulnerable despite their academic achievements. The chapter explains that financial ignorance often creates dependence. Without understanding how money works, people naturally rely on employers for income, banks for loans, financial advisors for investment decisions, and governments for retirement support. While these institutions play valuable roles in society, Kiyosaki argues that complete dependence limits personal freedom. Financial education allows individuals to make informed decisions independently rather than relying entirely on others to manage their financial future. One of the chapter's strongest messages is that **education should never stop after graduation**. Technology, financial markets, business models, and investment opportunities continue evolving every year. Knowledge that was sufficient twenty years ago may no longer provide a competitive advantage today. Kiyosaki believes that individuals who continuously update their financial knowledge remain better prepared to adapt to economic changes, while those who stop learning gradually fall behind. The author also encourages readers to become students of the real world rather than relying exclusively on textbooks. Classroom learning provides valuable theoretical foundations, but practical experience often teaches lessons that cannot be fully understood through reading alone. Starting a small business, managing investments, negotiating contracts, or recovering from financial mistakes develops judgment in ways that formal education alone cannot provide. Kiyosaki believes genuine financial intelligence grows through a combination of study and real-life application. Another important idea explored in this chapter is the influence of outdated beliefs. Many people continue following financial advice that may have been appropriate decades ago but has become less effective in today's economy. For example, previous generations often expected stable employment with predictable pensions and long-term job security. Modern careers, however, are increasingly shaped by technological disruption, automation, entrepreneurship, and the global economy. Kiyosaki argues that continuing to follow outdated financial strategies without adapting to new realities can place individuals at a disadvantage. Kiyosaki also discusses the importance of identifying misinformation. In his view, "fake" does not always mean intentionally false. Sometimes it refers to incomplete information, outdated assumptions, or advice presented without proper context. Financial products may appear safe without fully explaining their risks. Educational systems may promote employment while giving little attention to entrepreneurship. Media reports may focus on short-term market movements rather than long-term economic principles. The author encourages readers to question information thoughtfully rather than accepting every widely held opinion as absolute truth. The chapter places significant emphasis on critical thinking. Kiyosaki believes financially successful individuals develop the habit of asking questions instead of simply accepting conventional wisdom. They ask how investments generate returns, why certain economic policies are implemented, who benefits from particular financial systems, and what risks might be overlooked. This curiosity enables them to build independent judgment instead of following the crowd. Another recurring theme is the value of learning from different teachers. Kiyosaki suggests that education should not be limited to schools or universities. Entrepreneurs, investors, business owners, experienced mentors, biographies, historical case studies, and even personal failures all serve as valuable teachers. Every source offers unique perspectives that contribute to a broader understanding of money and wealth. By learning from diverse experiences, individuals become less dependent on any single viewpoint and more capable of making balanced financial decisions. The author further explains that financial education should include emotional discipline. Knowledge alone does not guarantee success if emotions dominate decision-making. Fear may prevent people from investing, while greed may encourage reckless speculation. Continuous learning helps individuals recognize these emotional influences and respond with greater confidence and rationality during periods of uncertainty. Kiyosaki also emphasizes that going back to school requires humility. Admitting that there is still more to learn is often difficult, particularly for successful professionals who have achieved academic or career accomplishments. However, financial markets do not reward credentials alone. They reward understanding, discipline, adaptability, and sound decision-making. Remaining open to new ideas allows individuals to continue improving regardless of their age or professional background. Toward the end of the chapter, Kiyosaki reminds readers that financial education is ultimately an investment rather than an expense. The knowledge gained through reading, attending seminars, learning from mentors, or studying business and investing can produce returns for decades. Unlike many physical possessions that lose value over time, education continues generating benefits whenever it improves future decisions. The chapter concludes by encouraging readers to become lifelong students of finance, business, and investing. Kiyosaki believes that the modern world rewards those who remain adaptable and curious rather than those who rely solely on what they learned in school many years earlier. Fighting what is "fake" begins with developing the ability to distinguish fact from assumption, knowledge from opinion, and long-term principles from short-term trends. The central lesson of this chapter is that financial freedom requires continuous education. Returning to school does not necessarily involve earning another degree—it means committing to lifelong learning, questioning accepted beliefs, seeking practical experience, and continuously improving financial intelligence. By doing so, individuals become better prepared to recognize opportunities, avoid costly mistakes, and build lasting wealth in an increasingly complex financial world.