Only young and naive guy believe in high risk high return
In the world wars, young and naive people go to battle field and fight each other to death, they take risk to protect the war that they can never win, while they’re being manipulate by the other group of elite who do not like to take such risk. These elite tell the young people to take the risk despite they know it’s risky and they don’t want take the risk but want someone else to take such risk. Many people died and sacrificed in the war that can’t be won. The elite do not take the risk, not only they didn’t take risk they also profit a lot from the war, for the people who love to advocate high risk high return, NOPE you’re wrong, they take no risk while they can make the maximum profit that those of you who take risk can only dream of.
Since the war is over, it’s not profitable for the elite anymore. They know what is their next move after the war. Yup, money, they’re now looking at money, they know money has the same properties to a world war, they also know they do not like to take risk, so now they tell all you idiot to take risk that they don’t want to take and deceive you to believe high risk high return, you’re real idiot if you didn’t learn from the previous lesson, you’re idiot if you didn’t learn from the world wars, you’re idiot to take risk that they tell you to take while they making maximum profit taking no risk at all.
Certainly, war is no high-risk high-return, is high-risk low-return, and is not an investment - not for the individuals that take part on in directly at least.
It is not as much as being fooled because of age, it has a lot to do with the culture and the knowledge and the beliefs. Most of those who want you to fight for them or given them your money will speak of "country", "god", "freedom", "patriotism",... but they will only be thinking of power, money, land,... They will use your goodwill and your love for their purposes. Those who only take news from one side or do not want to listen to other´s points of view, and think that only certain party o leader or book has the absolute truth and all else is wrong are the ones most at risk of being manipulated into a wrongful conflict.
However, in business, high risk high return exists and sometimes there are low risk high return opportunities. Is no longer a question of elites, anyone can choose to learn how to take advantage.
Re "elites" actually, they do invest in risky ventures - if they loose they still have plenty, whereas if you loose it will mean something for your.