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When we talk about the topic of freedom in the Western world, it most often conjures strong feelings. Especially in the United States, land of the free, the concept of freedom seems paramount to our nationality identity. We express our freedom of religion, press, and peaceful assembly, among others, every day in how we choose to live our lives. But few Americans stop think about where our freedom actually comes from. The Western philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed that freedom is an inherent quality, part of the individual, and a presupposition as to what it means to be human. But is this really the case? Is freedom an innate part of our human nature? Or is it something that we have constructed for ourselves out of enlightened ideals?

According to a paper by economist, financial expert, and blogger Richard Arthur Kelo, Is Human Freedom a Natural Thing?, “freedom of the individual is something that has been allowed to happen because of the rise of capitalism. Under a free market economy, the individual now has more powers as they can contribute to the ideas that large corporations make through choice of product”. This type of “capitalist” freedom is fairly apparent in the way that most individuals go about making purchases, and most companies respond to these purchases. The entire goal of any organization is to provide a product or service that individuals will choose over competitors. This builds the company’s reputation, drives sales, and ensures its future success.

But is this genuine freedom? Is choosing between two options really freedom, or are we limited in the sense that we only have two choices? The bauty of capitalism is that such markets respond to these questions fairly well. If consumers want a third, different option, someone will step forward to fill that desire. Thus creating more options for customers, more “freedom”. However, as consumers we are still reliant on others to put options before us and rarely do we have the economic means or skills to provide for ourselves. This is a product of our industrialized and technologically advanced society. It is impossible to except an elementary school teacher to build a computer for herself, so she goes out and buys one instead.

According to Richard Arthur Kelo—on Dailymotion and a variety of other blogging platforms—“freedom is something that has been enabled over time rather than eroded from an original right”. Instead of being born with the inherent freedom that many believe we possess, we have actually carefully constructed our freedom through capitalism. Enabling individuals to purchase things, rather than provide them for themselves, has made it possible for individuals to pursue careers such as the arts, without having to grow their own food or make their own clothes.

In most states around the country, students are required to spend 900 hours in school each year. Given that most students enter the public school system around five-years-old and leave when they are usually eighteen, according to Reference.com, this means that the average individual is spending fifteen percent of their life in school. And that’s not factoring in continuing education or preschool. Despite this staggering statistic, very few students graduating with a degree have even a basic understanding of personal finance and economics. Many experts agree that our school system is more than slightly outdated in this respect and that some of life’s most valuable skills are being ignored in favor of material that is largely irrelevant to most people. Couple this with the fact that personal finance is extremely important, especially for recent graduates, and there is a significant portion of the population that is losing money and making poor financial decisions.

Financial expert and economics blogger Rick Kelo (on YouTube and other social media outlets) is one of the rare individuals who is stepping in and educating people on topics about finances. He has personal website (rickkelo.org), that explains many important topics about our economy including, “The Minimum Wage Issue”, “What is the Optimal Progressive Tax?”, “Answering for the 2008 Global Economic Crash”, and “Free Market Capitalism and the Drive Towards Progress”. As a source of information on the current state of the economy, blogs like this are a means for young people to learn more about the world around them and engage with relevant and modern economic issues through easy to read, yet informative articles.

There are also a number of books out there that are crucial for young people trying to get a grip on their personal finances. In an article published by Business Insider, they listed 11 Personal Finance Books Everyone Should Read Before Turning 30. These books include “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas J. Stanley and William Danko. This book is based on more than 20 years of research into seven key characteristics that explain how America’s millionaires got rich. There is also “Think Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman, a book directed at younger readers that explains how personal finance is nothing but a serious of decisions and describes what drives people to make the decisions that they make.

For more information about Rick Kelo, or other reading material about personal finance, visit his blog or a number of other websites that contain his articles.

One of the luxuries of the modern era is the freedom we have in shaping the way in which people view us. The growing importance of social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and LinkedIn allows individuals to filter their lives into an online profile that only reflects what we want the world to know about us. We publish our insightful comments, not our unintelligent ones. We share pictures of our triumphs, not of our failures. And we list positive job experiences, not the ones that would blemish our professional image. This luxury is a reflection of our human tendency to want people to view us in our best light. It also reflects the increasing demand that individuals face to broadcast themselves and their lives on the web. Looking at the differences between our online selves and our real life selves is an interesting examination of the effects that social media has on how we view ourselves.

For millennials, the internet is a comfortable sphere. Not only do they use it to find jobs and news about what is going on in the world, they also use it as a social network. It is an area to meet new people, chat with friends, and share their personalities with a wider audience. In contrast to older generations and their online presence, millennials are often viewed as superficial and undiscerning in the way that they present themselves. But they use social media to share real news, Tweeting about the issues in their local communities and their thoughts about our national politics and economics. In this sense, everyone benefits from the use of social media by industry experts such as Richard Kelo on YouTube. He posts informative videos about the current climate of our national economy and uses this social media outlet to educate individuals. In turn, users have the ability to share this information with their wider spheres of influence, propagating important knowledge and insights about useful topics.

Older generations benefit from social media because it is an opportunity for them to share their hard-earned experiences and insights with a global community. Younger generations benefit from having this information on their dashboards and incorporate the lessons of their family and friends into their daily live. For more information about Richard Arthur Kelo and his views on politics and finance, you can visit his websites or social media outlets. Just don’t forget to share the information on yours as well.

There is an obvious correlation between age and leadership positions and skills. This is a no brainer and reflects the importance that experience plays in understanding the world around us. However, correlation does not necessarily imply causation, and age alone is not a deciding factor when it comes to identifying great leadership. Leadership is about talking the talk, and walking the walk. Many older individuals have the skills and practical knowledge necessary to change our society for the better, but they could take a leaf out of the millennial book when it comes to getting their word out there. Millennials are experts when it comes to being heard. Unfortunately, they have not had the decades of experience that generations before them have used to learn the realities of life. But there is no denying that when it comes to disseminating information and expressing their opinions, millennials are miles ahead of their parents and grandparents, despite being so much younger.

For financial expert, Rick Kelo, using online presence as a social service is part of what has made him such an important figure in the economic sphere. Not only does he write and publish articles on his personal blogs, he uses social media outlets as a source of connecting with a wider audience of individuals. There is a reason that important figures such as the FBI, White House, UN, and World Bank have Twitter accounts and Facebook profiles. Social media is an important tool for communicating with society and a wider audience across the globe. Print media is fine, but in the time it takes to get to and cover, edit, and print something into a newspaper or magazine, the topic is old news. Of course, the issue is recursive in the sense that the rise in technology has progressed news to the point where the use of modern technology is the only means of spreading information quickly enough. And print media will always exist as a source of literature and ongoing journalism.

However, in our political and global landscape, which is more fast-paced than ever before, those leaders who have embraced technologies such as social media and mobile apps have a decided advantage over their competition that has not. The reputation of Rick Kelo, the outspoken blogger questioning the modern age, existed before he took to web. However, there is no denying that blogging as a tool for reaching his audience has helped to build his reputation further.

Rick Kelo, Chicago area tax expert, answers the often-asked question about the different types of bankruptcy filings; Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13. Kelo received his MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2006, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a focus in Finance. He is currently an Executive Recruiter with TaxScout, the nation’s premier tax search firm placing tax professionals in companies across the country.

Bankruptcy is no longer the unspoken word, whispered in the back rooms of offices and houses. It now gives people and companies a fresh start, who are struggling with insurmountable debt and non-stop calls from creditors. Kelo stresses that every case is different, but the most common forms of bankruptcy are Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13. But, what is the difference? Your tax expert is well versed in the difference, but this overview will give you a starting point.

Broadly, Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a liquidation of property and assets, and the proceeds going to the creditors to pay off or begin to pay off debts. Chapter 7 can be used by any individual or company, no matter the amount of debt. There are, however, restrictions on income levels. It is best to speak to your tax professional.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy is a reorganization method, where the debtor wants to keep his or her assets and continue business, but can not under the current structure. In Chapter 11, the debtor proposes a plan to repay those he owes money to, either in full or in part. Each creditor must agree with the plan separately.

Finally, the final most common type of bankruptcy is Chapter 13. After the housing crisis of the mid 2000s, many families filed for Chapter 13, and it was national news as more families than ever before filed for Chapter 13 instead of losing their homes. Chapter 13 is only available to individuals, not businesses, and allows the debtor to catch up on the amount in arrears thru a plan set forth in their filing.

Bankruptcy laws are quite difficult to navigate, and should be used only as a last resort. They are not to be taken lightly, and Rick Kelo advises everyone to speak in depth to their tax professional as they weigh the decision to file bankruptcy or not. It is not a decision to be taken lightly, and companies are strongly advised to discuss the implications with a tax professional.