I know exactly what you mean. Mine was when my uncle gave me this book when I was 18. Learning about how the system really works scared the hell out of me and broke my teen aged mind for a while. It likely heavily influenced my lifelong aversion to the financial markets, resulting in an investment strategy heavy in tangible assets and real estate.

Then 2008 hit, and I learned that you're not really safe regardless of where your money is. And, let's face it, pieces of paper declaring ownership - be it stocks, commodities, or real estate - aren't going to mean shit if this smoke and mirrors, rube-goldberg-esque system of ours ever really began to unravel.