Unconventional wisdom: Top articles for the year
My five favourite articles from 2025.
Conventional wisdom is a byproduct of groupthink that presents solutions good enough for the average person while simultaneously not being right for any individual. You follow it at your peril. Each Monday I will challenge the investing norms that just may be holding you back from living the life you want.
Unconventional wisdom: Top articles for the year
“Five percent of the people think; ten percent of the people think they think; and the other eighty-five percent would rather die than think.”
―Thomas A. Edison
In the age of participation trophies nobody likes to name favourites. But that is what I’ve done. I’ve picked the Unconventional Wisdom articles I’ve liked best from the past year.
I didn’t just pick the most popular articles with readers and instead shared insights that I hope help investors take a step back and think about the best way to reach their goals.
This is the article that caused me the most grief this year. Going after private assets in the golden age of private assets is the definition of unconventional wisdom. Whether you agree with me or not I think it is important for each of us to retain some sceptcism about the prevailing narratives that are taken as gospel.
Sometimes the most dangerous lies are the ones we tell ourselves. Many people who claim to be passive investors aren’t - they are simply active investors using passive products.
I’m a fan of dividends. It should come as no surprise that one of my favourite articles includes a poem about dividends. Even if you aren’t initerested in income there are important lessons on the true value of any investment.
I have a feeling we will be hearing more from the bond market in the upcoming years. This article outlines the impact of bond vigilantes throughout history and serves as a warning. At a certain point the bond market says enough is enough to excessive debt.
Retirement is the one common goal we all share. It is also a subject rife with rules of thumbs that investors fall back on because they don’t understand the underlying risk to their plans. I tried to dig a little deeper in this article.
What I’ve been eating
I’m not sure if anyone cares where and what I eat. But I’ve included my favourite meals of the year because a little distraction from what is going on in the world never hurt anyone.
I had arrived in Jodpur the previous day and had spent that evening and the next morning in my hotel. I was itching to get out. This was not even close to the best meal I had in India but sometimes a meal is about more than the food – it is how you feel, it is the setting, and it is the memories you keep turning back to. A little laal mas always helps when you are in Rajasthan.
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Fico is my favourite restaurant in Australia. It has been around for 9 years and keeps getting better. In a shocking display of poor judgement I didn’t make it to Hobart in 2024 which made my return to Fico in March extra special. A long leasurly Sunday lunch followed by some Tassie whisky is a perfect afternoon.
In an era of polarisation it is rare to get universal agreement on anything. The merits of the Gidley burger are one of the few instances where there are few detractors among the carnivorous portion of the population. This isn’t the best picture but who has time to try and get the right shot when this is in front of you.
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I understand that Pilu is a Sardinian restaurant. I know most of the waitstaff is either Sardinian or Italian. Yet - to me - it is still the quintasential Australian experience. The setting is stunning as the windows open up to Freshwater Beach and the vibe is laid back and friendly. It is one of my favourite restaurants in Australia and I enjoy it more with each meal.
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I’ve been complaining about the quality of Mexican food in Australia for over a decade so I must highlight Pappi Birria. This hole in the wall place in Dalinghurst is incredible. Not much more I can say than that.
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