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The Fall of the House of Fong

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  • The Fall of the House of Fong

    I'm curious about your reaction to yesterday's front-page Star-Bulletin story (I don't know if that's a permalink or not) on the demise of the Hiram Fong empire. It's a horrible story, and I really like the comparison one family member makes to a Shakespearean tragedy. It's got almost all the elements. I also kept thinking of The Good Earth (if you haven't read it, you really must).

    In stories like this, I often ask my students to rank the characters from most responsible for the downfall to least responsible. Based on the information provided in this story (and if you've got additional info, that would be great), who would you assign most of the blame to? Is there anyone here who's blameless?
    But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
    GrouchyTeacher.com

  • #2
    Re: The Fall of the House of Fong

    Originally posted by scrivener
    I'm curious about your reaction to yesterday's front-page Star-Bulletin story (I don't know if that's a permalink or not) on the demise of the Hiram Fong empire. It's a horrible story, and I really like the comparison one family member makes to a Shakespearean tragedy. It's got almost all the elements. I also kept thinking of The Good Earth (if you haven't read it, you really must).

    In stories like this, I often ask my students to rank the characters from most responsible for the downfall to least responsible. Based on the information provided in this story (and if you've got additional info, that would be great), who would you assign most of the blame to? Is there anyone here who's blameless?
    Unfortunately, the late Hiram Fong is responsible for the downfall of his family's empire. Although he was a great business man and Senator he apprently didn't instill in his children the values, morals and togetherness that keeps a family strong...no matter with or without money.

    As for Jr. He took care of his dad the best he could. Was there to take him to doctor's appointments and to his beloved Finance Factors until he could not go anymore. How sad that they can not do the same for his mother. Once upon a time, their home in Alewa Heights were filled with other rich people in social gatherings. MAMA remembers it as having so much Chinese Antiques for furnishings and decorations. That property lost too. Sad.

    Marvin, although he accomplished what he set out to do will be the one who will lose the most. Money is not everything. One can go up and one can go down very fast. It happened to his father. What goes around comes around.

    The other two children have suffered enough. To put their father's legacy and name into more dirt is not the way. No matter what they do, Hawai'i nei will remember Senator Fong in a dignified way. I know I will. He use to walk around in Chinatown and talk to "us" little people. He was a wonderful man.
    Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
    Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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    • #3
      Re: The Fall of the House of Fong

      Some of the people I used to run around with in Boston were the scions of wealthy families. They didn't fritter away their inheritances on extravagances; rather they set up charitable foundations (we're talking some of the Rockefeller cousins et al) and put their inheritances to good use to support things they believed in.

      My friend Charles has a hefty trust fund, but you'd never know it from the house he lives in or the car he drives. He's given a lot of money away to the anti-nuclear proliferation movement in the past.

      The really really rich (the ones who have had money in their families for a long time) tend to be more conservative with their money than the nouveau riche, who will blow it on the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Or maybe it was just that particular generation of young filthy rich kids that I hung out with who grew up that way.

      Sen. Fong was trying to ensure that his kids didn't have as hard a life as he did when he was young, but as with all nouveau riche heirs, they don't have the same work ethic or values of the father.

      I think if I was wealthy I would make my kids work, and set up trust funds for them that they couldn't touch until they were about 30 or 35. That would give them at least a few years in the real world where they had to learn about money and what it takes to live within your means.

      Miulang
      "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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