Many people will tell you to stay away from risky investments. But if you follow that advice, there is a chance that you might throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Think of risky investments like you think about salt: Too much could eventually kill you, but too little can be bad in other ways.
The same is true for assets like gold, industrial metals, grains, or even art. A little can be a good thing. Go overboard with it and you'll probably go bust.