Does the Timeless Wisdom Make Us Rich?
A trip through the fictional city of Babylon.
Can Some Timeless Wisdom Make Us Rich?
Some might argue that Babylon is an actual place, not something fictional. Yes, I completely agree with that statement. But the stories I will discuss with you all happened in the fictional city of Babylon. Why do I want to discuss them with you? These tales offer us the basic wisdom to correct our lives and be wealthy and honourable. Who is at the centre of all these tales? The Richest Man in Babylon.
What does this book offer?
Do these tales offer you some mind-bending wisdom? No. Do these tales offer you hidden tips and tricks to quickly become rich? No. Do these tales offer a detailed way to live without thinking any more? No. All that this book offers are its tales.
It tells a tale where one has faced many difficulties to the point of becoming a slave. The sadness of the one who ran away from the debts he had. The naivete of a pampered son as he learns the true value of what his father had earned. The frustrations of a normal salaried man as his childhood friend becomes the town’s richest man. Though these tales seem simple or meaningless, each offers their own 2 cents to us, the normal, privileged modern human beings.
That’s the strong point of this book — the tales of seemingly insignificant people, yet relatable and filled with wisdom.
Why I stress this point?
Well, the actual financial offers are not complex secrets. It can be boiled down to 5 key points.
- Save 10% of what you earn as a payment to yourself.
- Pay whatever debts you have with 20% of what you earn.
- Don’t invest based on the words of a relative/friend. Trust the experts who poured many years into their craft.
- We all want to be wealthy, yet we always run in an automated mode and never take a step back to evaluate how we can seek wealth from what we’re currently doing.
- Don’t think too much when you rationally understand that the bargain is profitable. Others are equally greedy to catch the deal.
That’s it. That’s the financial advice this book offers. But reading these five lines within a minute might make you feel like these don’t matter. Certainly, I did when my friend shared a summary of this book. Hence, I postponed reading this book by a year and picked it up when I had nothing major to do.
But I request that you don’t make the same mistake. Give this book a read, and you’ll understand why these 5 points (and a few others) matter. There’s a reason why this book, which was first published in 1926, is still one of the best-selling finance books in 2024 and will be even in the future. It’s easy to understand and simple to read.
I want to end this article by sharing a question this book made me ask myself. After I passed away, will the tales people tell about me be considered fiction or non-fiction? Irrespective of the category, what should I achieve for people to discuss my tales, like the tale of Arkad, The Richest Man in Babylon?
So, give this a shot. I hope you found something of value in this short review of mine. I enjoyed reading this. Hence, I request that you share the book that had the biggest impact on you so I can expand my horizons and be a better version of myself.
Thanks for reading till the end. Until next time–happy reading! ✌️
Follow The Story Taste for more such book recommendations! Do check my daily reading reflections that I publish, On What I Read.
