Tessie, thanks for a thought-provoking post. I've been away for a while and have worked diligently today to try to clear away the adspam that accumulated while I was gone.
What a refreshing change to find some solid discussion! So...let's discuss!
For the most part, I agree with your post. However, I think your first paragraph is backwards. I agree that you must be clear on what you want and why. The other things you mention, though, are merely the vehicles to get you there. And as far as I can see, they aren't mutually exclusive. Seems to me they would all work together.
Now, you've touched on my favorite...real estate. All the really large fortunes in the US were either made in real estate or held in real estate. Contrary to popular opinion, you don't have to have time, money or good credit to begin making money with it, although any or all of those accelerate the vehicle.
Can one still make a fortune in real estate? Absolutely. Is it something everyone should rush to do? Absolutely not. Someone I respect greatly says that there's no ceiling on the wealth-building potential of real estate. The down side is that there's no floor on what you could lose if you don't know what you're doing. But perhaps that's for another thread...
As for the why, it's also instructive to look at what has been done with many of the great fortunes of the past couple of centuries, and what is to come. Many, if not most, have been directed to making a better, more comfortable or more beautiful world for countless people.
The latest incidence that I know of is recounted here: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_8171877. It's inspiring to see what this fortune has been able to do for so many already. Maybe we all have the affirmative duty to build wealth in order to have the opportunity to do so much good.