Does Legality Trump Morality?…Are You “Finished Goods?…Bill Gates Favorite Business Book…Econ Recon: “Prosperity in the Age of Decline”

“Real excellence and humility are not incompatible one with the other; on the contrary, they are twin sisters.”

 Jean Baptiste Lacordaire

 Does Legality Trump Morality?

Dr. Walter Williams serves on the faculty of George Mason University as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics and is the author of ‘Race and Economics: How Much Can Be Blamed on Discrimination?’ and ‘Up from the Projects: An Autobiography.’  His recent column on the morality of “legalized theft” is a worthy read and the basis for some excellent discussions across the political aisle.

Are You “Finished Goods?”

Check out a seven minute TED Talk by psychologist Dan Gilbert who explores the human tendency to assume that who we are is who we’ll always be, despite the significant changes we’ve already undergone to become our current selves. He attributes what he calls the “end of history illusion” to the fact that forgetting the past is much easier than imagining the future.Your life today is probably very different than you imagined it would be 20, 30 or 40 years ago. For Baby Boomers in particular, if 70 is the new 60 and 50 is the new 30, then seven minutes exploring The Psychology of  Your Future Self may be a very wise investment.

Bill Gates’ Favorite Business Book (Download Free Chapter!)

On his personal website, Bill Gates recently shared that his favorite business book was one given to him by the Sage of Omaha, Warren Buffett.The book is a collection of columns by New Yorker Magazine business writer John Brooks bearing the title  “Business Adventures—Twelve classic tales from the worlds of Wall Street and the modern American corporation.” The book was originally published in 1969, and Buffet recommended it to Gates in 1991 as one of his favorites.

Check out this one page overview of the book by Gates and/or watch the accompanying 3 minute video interview of him discussing the impact it had on him. You can also download a PDF of one of the chapters of this book which will be republished soon.

Econ Recon:  “Prosperity in the Age of Decline”

Prosperity in the Age of Decline: Vistage Speakers and ITR Economics Principals Alan and Brian Beaulieu released their much anticipated book this past week: Prosperity in The Age of Decline: How to Lead Your Business and Preserve Wealth Through the Coming Business Cycles This book does an excellent job of explaining the economy we’re in, where it’s heading and what to do about it, including their long standing prediction of a 1930s Great Depression Redux coming in the late 2020’s. 

The Beaulieu’s willingness to make bold ( and consistently accurate) predictions about the economy accompanied by specific tactical advice for preparing before that future arrives have made them unique among business economists and favorites in the Vistage CEO Community for nearly two decades. CEOs have no shortage of books about businesses, but none that specifically guide them as this book does through the turbulent macroeconomic environment ahead. 

“Prosperity in the Age of Decline” should be on every CEO and senior executive’s desk for the next decade and beyond.