Businesswoman Chapter 145

“We’re in a crisis,” Atkinson sighed. “Most of this country, hell, the world is virtually financially illiterate. I remember the days of the teacher trying to teach about CDs and most of the class thinking he was talking about compact discs.” Blank stares looked back at him at this statement. “You see, a CD is also a compact disc. We used it to play music. I know a lot of you Gen-Zers may not have known about the latter. But you're a businessperson, so I know you know the former.”

The audience remained rapt by Atkinson’s presentation. Questions abounded.

“Entrepreneur Paul, how do we make people know more about money and economics?” a young man the size of a standard library bookshelf asked.

Atkinson shoved his hands into his pockets. “That’s just it. You don’t. You allow them to do their own research and never force anyone to do anything. It’s all about the power of persuasion.”

A young woman with flowing blonde locks and pitch black skin asked next. “Sir, what is the largest hurdle we face in getting the world to want to learn about money?”

“I think it’s just free will. People would rather take the easy route and not activate their minds. They’d rather use their time as cogs in the machine and never look up to see the light of financial independence. People love to use the pie metaphor. We get pieces. But what about the recipe? What about the bakery? What about the corporation which owns the rights to the recipe at said bakery? If people don’t think with their lives they’ll never think with their dollar.”

The meeting adjourned. As the group of young executives left the room, they shook hands with Atkinson and permitted themselves the absolute luxury of being together again.a