Somehow I had missed the news about Madoff's son, Mark's suicide. He left his wife and two small kids behind. He must've been really depressed, and I wish I had known him so I could help him deal with it. I hope he is in a better place and has finally found peace.
In an ideal world, kids should inherit either both their parents' money and their parents' debts or they should inherit neither. By law, we only inherit the good, the money, and leave the bad, the debt, to the lenders to deal with. It doesn't seem fair but who am I to judge and when has life been fair? There were smarter people than me making the laws and if they believe this is good for society then so be it. You leave the sins of your ancestors in the past and move on clean.
I don't think Mark, like most rich kids, realized what an advantage it is to grow up with money. You end up in the best schools that are normally reserved for the brightest of students. You travel and see different cultures and customs, which makes you think and reconsider what you would normally take for granted. You socialize with well-connected successful people who can make a world of difference in your career and in the world we live in. You do not have to worry about malnourishment, lack of clean water, and diseases only known in poor countries. You learn manners, how to dress, how to speak like the movers and shakers of society. Being born rich is like starting a marathon from the middle while everybody else starts from the beginning or even before that. Who knows why some people are born with all the advantages and others without any of them. Maybe it's random distribution but maybe it's karma. I wish I'd had the chance to tell Mark, "If you were brought up in an environment with so much potential, use it. You father has done wrong, try to do as much good for society as you can. Committing suicide is not going to help anyone or correct the evil. You are more precious to the world alive." Rest in peace, Mark!
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