I agree that many people got in over their heads and have been hurt and continue to be hurt. March 2000 was the time to warn. That was obvious to me and with hindsight it is to others, now. Now is still a time to warn many, but not all. I don't think the members of this thread or others I read at SI are stupid, illiterate, naive, or sheep. Some may make decisions that turn out to be less than optimal or even wrong, but decision making is not as easy or obvious as you pretend.
Investing is not as dangerous as you make out. If stock investment is limited to a prudent % of assets, if a diversified portfolio of quality is purchased at reasonable values, and if stock is held long term, then investing can be a beneficial, benign experience.
Unfortunately, the best time to invest is when many are crying doom and gloom. Infrequently, that is the worst time. You have statistics against you and possibly the wrong audience here, but I invite you to stick around and allow, if only slightly, that you may not have the panacea for all of us. |
