> Okay... the answer is rather obvious. When
> you find out what it is you will think,
> "Of course." And you will see HOW
> it gives migrants the tremendous advantage
> it does.

> I deduce it is hard to see because it would
> be like a fish trying to imagine a state of
> "no water." All his life all he
> knows is water. Trying to figure out
> "no water" is tough - not
> impossible but tough.

> Michael Ross

Okay, Michael, I'm hoping I've been lurking here on this thread long enough to see the point you are driving at.

Immigrants--most of them, anyway--arrive without any "stuff" (as the great philosopher and observer-of-life, George Carlin, puts it). Consequently, they don't have to divert any of their meager incomes to "maintaining and upgrading" their stuff.

Example: If I drove a beat-up wreck of a car, I'd "have to" spend money on repairs to keep it running... or buy a newer car (probably on credit).

Without having to spend money on maintaining any "stuff," immigrants are able to invest their meager incomes in themselves (e.g. education) and in their dreams (e.g. entrepreneurial undertakings or savings/investment accounts).

Such investment becomes habit... which leads to long term financial success.

In a similar vein, many "native" citizens come to the conclusion late in life that they need to invest in themselves--instead of buying more stuff--if they are going to be able to enjoy comfortable retirements.

Unfortunately, most of them reach this conclusion with too few years left to be able to turn their "spend, spend, spend" lives around.

Right?

~~Steve Rollison