Suzanne: Thanks for your Hall Of Fame listing. Of course, there are some "honorable mentions", who shall remain nameless. Perhaps if they show some gumption in the future, you can induct them also...
Since we are being generously provided with all kinds of philosophical and psychological insight from the wise ones who would "save the lambs from slaughter", I thought I might return the favor. Here are some thoughts on the psychology of bashing.
Why do they do it? A few possibilities...
1) The Altruistic Saint. Truly out to save the uninformed investor from losing their money by sharing their knowledge. Has (and has NEVER HAD,) a position, long or short, in the stock. Has nothing, monetarily, to gain by spending considerable time and effort reviewing and analyzing SEC documents. The Saints are VERY RARE - in fact, they may only exist in "theory".
2) The Snide Smartypants. May or may not currently have a position, but has sold in the past and has lost money on the stock. Doesn't actually provide any real depth of analysis. Instead, makes endless sarcastic remarks using "catch phrases", which save the effort of any actual real thought.
3) The Angry Psychopath. Is SO MAD about the stock that he/she cannot see straight. Results in a disjointed writing style which is very difficult to follow logically. Makes up terms and definitions as he/she goes along. Blood pressure of the writer seems to go up with each sentence.
4) The Disinformation Expert. Combines truth, half-truths, and outright lies to achieve their objective. Gains occasional credibility by telling the truth, later causing confusion by slipping in the half-truths and outright lies. Can be very skilled and crafty. Uses these skills to profit from trading, while beating up on the company at the same time.
5) The "Wolf-in-the-Pack" shorter. Travels in packs. Senses weakness in stocks, and goes in for the kill. Claims to be "Altruistic Saint". Causes self-fulfilling prophecy of selling pressure by scaring investors, stating that the "sky is falling". Is very good at saying "I told you so", when the share price inevitably goes down.
The above is by no means a complete list. Of course, there are some who combine characteristics.
Have a great Sunday,
Tom |
