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Pastimes : FLAME THREAD - Post all obnoxious/derogatory comments here -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Blue On Black who wrote (6471)	2/9/1999 2:07:00 AM
From: Druss	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 12754

From the 'Zen of Shorting' Lee I believe I have found a passage from 'Zen of Shorting' that answers your question. One day one of Chu Mei Ash's students came to him and requested an opportunity to speak with him as he was greatly troubled. "Certainly, Grasshopper, what is troubling you?" Chu Mei Ash asked. "I was speaking with some longs Master, and they said that shorting is a great evil and any who practice it are accursed. That they shall be reincarnated as the lowest of beings. I was greatly troubled Master, as I could think of no reply. Is this true, have I strayed so far from the teachings of Buddha? The student said. "You are new to the market, Grasshopper, and you do not yet know it and the great truths that are a part of it. For shorting is the most noble of ways to play the market. To go long is to succumb to greed and the demon forces of evil. To short is to seek to protect the innocent from those who would rob them and to prevent stocks from gaining too high of a price and then plunging down doing terrible damage to their investments." "I do not understand, Master" The student said. "Do you not remember when I shorted Cen Tin Eel, the company that said it was going to raise eels for the market. When I found out they had not even bought the land they were supposed to grow the eels on did I not immediately announce the fact to all. I protected many innocent investors from that fraud. A long would have sold his shares at a profit to some innocent investor. I however exposed this fraud." "Yes, I remember it well, Master. But it was also said that you took two ox carts to the market to take away the gold you made on Cen Tin Eel." The student said. "You have touched on my greatest sorrow, Grasshopper. For I am burdened with wealth. My soul weeps when I contemplate it. For I ache to be rid of this weight on me. Would that I could give it all away." Chu Mei Ash replied. "But Master, I don't understand, the student said. "You live a life of utmost pleasure. You have robes of the finest silk, your courtesans Yu May, Wan Sum, and Shar Re have skin even finer than the silken robes. You eat meals prepared by the great chef Le Cu Pah. Truly you are most extravagant with your wealth." "Just so, Grasshopper. I trust the great Buddha understands my motives are of the purest form. For you see, it is not enough to merely tear the veil from frauds. For when stocks go too high the innocent think they will go ever higher. You see they are consumed by the monster of greed that is going long. Shorts when they move on such companies temper these terrible rises preventing the innocent longs from buying at far too high a price. I seek to save them from being wiped out at a single stroke. The sad part is that I cannot do this alone. The more shorts that take positions in the stock the more effective we will be at protecting these innocent longs. Sadly many shorts are motivated by profits and not the pure spirit of helping others. They have bound themselves into the material aspects of this world of suffering and illusion. So I, who truly reject all of this, am forced to seem the most bound to it. I live this life that others will seek to emulate me and therefore will inadvertently assist my true cause. I wish the life of a simple monk that I might further my way on the Wheel of Life. My lovely courtesans come to my bed, sometimes all three at once never knowing the suffering I feel, I dine on the finest of foods wishing for a simple bowl of rice, I wear silk wishing for the roughest cloth. But then I should not be surprised, did not the Buddha say all is suffering in this world. I am destined like all to bear pain." "Master you have truly enlightened me. I see the virtues of shorting now. But I am saddened that you are cursed with such terrible karma. Could you not simply give your wealth away and seek the simple life you desire?" The student said. "To do so would be to turn my back on the needs of others that I see so clearly. I could not do this. I shall bear this life of hedonism and pleasure as best I can. But I do intend to someday give all of my money away so I can enter the next life a poor man." Chu Mei Ash said. "That is most noble of you Master, surely the Gods will see you have suffered much for others. They will also see you died poor which is most exemplary. Do you know when you will give away your money?" The student asked. "Hopefully about ten minutes before I die."