Subjects you think should be compulsory at school:

[rrankin]

OMHO...

1) Personal finance is such a basic and important thing life, yet not properly taught and not well understood.

It is shocking what goes on in the real world, and in the saddest of cases you hear how people commit suicide because they are overcome by debt.

Read books like Rich Dad Poor Dad, and subscribe to websites like www.moneysavingexpert.com to educate yourself. If you feel personally screwed talk to people like the citizens advice bureaux .

2) Environmental / green issues
Allow people to think for themselves. I've been a "green" for many years now, and even Jeremy Clarkson makes some good points about the environment .

E.g. nuclear power has a split opinion in the green lobby, for good reasons on noth sides.

[WJC]

Excellent list.

I have a investment trading company/hedge fund here in the US that trades in stocks and commodities (Oil, etc, etc,). All the trading strategies used are based upon psychology and psychological patterns, along with volatility/risk models, which again are based upon psychological data.

Personal finance and psychology go hand in hand, whether it be mundane, day to day management of everyday living expenses or larger investment decisions. Both are driven by psychology.

Recommended reading:
"Wealth of Nations" 1776, Adam Smith
"Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" 1923, Edwin Lefevere
"The Psychology of Risk" 2002, Ari Kiev

These books, though financial in topic, provide wonderful learning lessons for life in general.

WJC

[one eyed jack]

I think world history is also important. Its frightening that a lot of youngsters in this country know nothing about the last two world wars.

Like the saying goes: If you dont know where you are from, how do you know where you are going to?

I've often thought about that saying and come to the conclusion it means different things to different people...but ultimately it has meaning to all of us.

I dont think the state should be relied upon to educate the youngsters. I think parents should have a big role too. Kids dont respect money nowadays and expect things for nothing. They should be taught to earn it and that nothing in life is free...except the air that we breathe...and thats just for now.

[Sam Slater]

Well said OYJ.

I remember when I was five years old and all I wanted was a BMX bike. A 'Raleigh Burner' in 1982. I was six. Christmas came and 'behold' a Raleigh Burner! Due to the weather that Christmas day my parents said I had to wait before riding it! Imagine the frustration....

Boxing day was spent at an aunts and upon going home we had been burgled and my bike was gone. I hadn't even rode the bloody thing! My parents couldn't afford another one and not many people bothered insuring such things in 82. I leant the value of things I suppose from such an occasion.

Last year my sisters children both had their bikes 'tea-leaved' and they didn't seem too upset at all. My sister & brother-in-law just popped out to Toys 'r' Us and purchased 2 more bikes. They're lucky they're in that situation, but it shows that the kids don't seem to be growing up learning to deal with disappointment these days. Dealing with disappointment, pain and rejection is an essential part of life I would think. How can you be humble and respectful of anything if you've never suffered much emotions as these?