Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger How to Get Rich in America
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May 7, 2026 Joseph Moore, historian, entrepreneur, investor, and author, blends history and practical lessons on wealth, risk, and opportunity in America. He traces recurring money myths and surprising historical realities. He explores mobility, real estate as a business, leverage, self-issued currencies, and what actually builds wealth: solving problems at scale.
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Stock Gains Are A Recent, Behavior-Dependent Phenomenon
- Stocks were not a mass wealth vehicle for most of U.S. history; dividends, not price appreciation, drove returns until late 20th century.
- Moore emphasizes that index-fund narratives assume lifetimes and behaviors most people never lived.
Dividends Built Returns Until The Late 20th Century
- Before the 1980s-90s shift, dividends accounted for most stock returns; price appreciation rose as pensions moved to 401(k)s.
- Moore argues much recent wealth from stocks is speculative supply-and-demand price gains, not long-term compounding.
Get Rich By Serving Large-Scale Needs Not By Microsaving
- If you want to get rich, focus on solving other people's problems at scale rather than extreme thrift like skipping lattes.
- Moore says small businesses creating value still produce many multimillionaires today.
