I can't refute that. while I arguably (by my family line's standard) came into "life changing money" I also did have a bunch of upbringing from family, education, and second hand experience to take steps to avoid that. But I agree that words are cheap, and 6 to 7 figures is yet another magnitude of life changing.

On a similar note, I do understand the peer pressure that comes with being on a team like that. "tradition" where you buy your entire team dinner for a night on the order of high 5 figures as a start. I can start to sympathize with how that spirals when the environment itself pressures you. More reason to make a financial planning class mandatory in school. Won't save everyone, but it'll at least bring awareness.

I've often thought that public schools need to have a course in basic financial accounting. It isn't very hard, and is just adding and subtracting.

After all, we live in a market society, shouldn't students be at least able to read a simple P&L statement and balance sheet?

I always wanted to start a business, so on summer break I took a course in basic accounting from the local community college, and it has served me very well ever since.

Will Smith is another cautionary tale. As a teen, he made it big with his Fresh Prince rap songs. He blew all the money on partying. Then the IRS came knocking. It had never occurred to him he had to pay income tax on his millions, which no longer existed. He made a deal with the IRS. On his show "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", all his earnings other than an allowance went to the IRS.