It's not always about wisdom but also bad luck.
Knew someone who owned a company business in Europe & because of bad luck he lost the biz & is now only an employee working in that company.
You will find many similar misfortunes in Spore. Old families that were rich are now worth less e.g. Eu Yan Seng, Tang family, Tiger balm, ...
I have known old school people who made a fortune & have businesses that are established brand names today. The founder of these were astute, thrifty & long before they pass on, planned well the distribution of what they had accumulated & the continuation of the companies they founded. Some were listed on SES, while others still remained as private companies, that now, the 3rd generations are running it.
Back then, what I am saying, they were rich kids, they go to good schools, later tertiary education overseas, they travel in expensive cars, but, you have met them, like I do, you won't notice the difference, unlike those today, they flaunt their wealth openly & become targets for the criminal minds.
These old school people, have their share of dangers too, there were kidnap for money attempts. What I am saying is, it is up to each individual to plan, live their lives, if they want to live it recklessly, then all they have made, would be gone. I have learnt from all these old school business people I happened to know....learnt to be astute, thrifty & have money in the pocket, less show off...all of u have our vices, we have some money, we tend to spend....the only thing you will notice is, the watch I wear....& that, depends on where I am going... from Casio watch to....
The point is...up to you, we all can live that dream, envious & be jealous...but can we make it there?