Over time, readers of this blog may wonder if there is a guiding principle because the topics seem so diverse. To be honest, I write about what interests me without regard to theme. Writers are students of life and that’s a broad field.
Women’s equality I address often because I’m itchy to see more recognition for our achievements. Take the United States women’s soccer team, for example. They won the World Cup in “the most watched soccer game in American TV history.” (“The bottom line,” The Week July 17, 2015 pg. 31) Yet their compensation was a pittance, compared to that paid to their male counterparts. The disparity is understandable. Fox corporation took in $17 million in advertising for the event. ESPN earned $529 million for the 2014 men’s tournament. (Ibid pg. 31)
Women also underachieve in the financial market. As stock brokers, they are compensated less than the men, though a number of studies, one recently reported in Bloomberg.com, show that testosterone exposes males to greater risk taking than women. (Ibid pg. 31)
The financial meltdown in 2008-2009, is a prime example of what can occur when alpha males take charge. Excessive risk taking almost brought the country to its knees. But were the perpetrators punished? Not by their alpha peers in Congress. In fact, recently the heads of mortgage giants Fannie May and Freddie Mac, who were at the center of the melt down, had their salaries jump from $600,000 a year, where it was capped after the disaster, to a target range of $4 million annually. (Ibid pg. 33)
What’s a woman to do, who Is underappreciated and undercompensated? Follow the advice of one of the world’s richest men, Warren Buffet. Think twice about turning your investments over the alpha male. Consider index funds. (Blog 8/3/15) According to Morningstar, a Chicago-based investment research firm that compiles and analyzes funds, these investments performed better “in nearly every asset class.” (Ibid pg. 32.)
alpha male courtesy of www.warriormindcoach.com
