Episode 516: Using RPR To Build Friendships, Worldwide Gold Market Realities, And Portfolio Reviews As Of June 5, 2026

In this episode we answer emails from Optimus Bill, Arun, and Aaron.  We discuss why we do this show, how to build real friendships as an adult, and how to think clearly about investing without chasing fame or noise. Then we challenge the “gold returns zero” myth with a supply-and-demand lens that looks beyond popular US-centric group-think.  And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio.Additional Links:Fairfax CASA Donation Page:  Donate - Fairfax CASAFather McKenna Center Donation Page:  Donate - Father McKenna CenterSlides from the May 31 Zoom AMA;  2026-05-31 Risk Parity Radio AMA Summary Slides.pdf - Google DriveVideo from the May 31 Zoom AMA:  2026-05-31 Risk Parity Radio AMA Video Summary.mp4 - Google DriveBreathless Unedited AI-Bot Summary:A listener asks a deceptively simple question that a lot of personal finance repeats without thinking: if gold’s expected real return is “about zero,” what does that imply about commodities, and why would you hold either one in a long-term portfolio? We take that head-on, starting with what the data actually shows in the post-1970 fiat currency era, then working outward into the real drivers that move gold: supply that barely budges, global demand that Americans often ignore, and the uncomfortable possibility that money supply growth helps explain why gold has compounded the way it has.Before we get there, we share two listener emails that land in a surprisingly human place. We talk about financial independence as “almost winning the game” and the tricky part of figuring out how to stop playing. We also reflect on why we keep Risk Parity Radio small and audienced-focused, why we avoid the usual podcast growth playbook, and how friendship, vulnerability, and alignment beat chasing money, fame, and power.We also shout out the community: creative “perfect number” donations for Fairfax CASA, a listener-organized Zoom AMA, and the kind of nerdy curiosity that makes building a risk parity style asset allocation feel less lonely. Then we close with our weekly market recap after a nasty Friday selloff and a full performance review of the sample portfolios, including stocks, Treasury bonds, REITs, gold, commodities, managed futures, and a clear warning on leveraged experimental mixes.If you like thoughtful investing talk that stays grounded in data, diversification, and real life, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave us a review so more do-it-yourself investors can find it.Support the show