The S&P500 has returned an average of ~8%/year for the past 30 years. As you say, we have on many occasions observed people lying, cheating, and scamming. But we have only rarely observed lucrative good ideas! Why, even banks, which claim much more safety and offer much lower returns than the stock market, have frequently gone bust!
It follows inevitably, therefore, that there is a very high chance that the S&P 500, and the stock market in general, is a scam, and will steal all your money.
It follows further that the only safe investment approach is to put all your money into something that you retain personal custody of. Like gold bars buried in your backyard! Or Bitcoin!
It follows inevitably, therefore, that there is a very high chance that the S&P 500, and the stock market in general, is a scam, and will steal all your money.
Well, here’s a question: what happens more often—stock market downturns, or banks going bust?
It follows further that the only safe investment approach is to put all your money into something that you retain personal custody of. Like gold bars buried in your backyard! Or Bitcoin!
Now this is simply an invalid extrapolation. Note that I made no claims along these lines about what does or does not supposedly follow. Claims like “X reasoning is invalid” / “Y plan is unlikely to work” stand on their own; “what is the correct reasoning” / “what is a good plan” is a wholly separate question.
<trolling>
The S&P500 has returned an average of ~8%/year for the past 30 years. As you say, we have on many occasions observed people lying, cheating, and scamming. But we have only rarely observed lucrative good ideas! Why, even banks, which claim much more safety and offer much lower returns than the stock market, have frequently gone bust!
It follows inevitably, therefore, that there is a very high chance that the S&P 500, and the stock market in general, is a scam, and will steal all your money.
It follows further that the only safe investment approach is to put all your money into something that you retain personal custody of. Like gold bars buried in your backyard! Or Bitcoin!
</trolling>
Well, here’s a question: what happens more often—stock market downturns, or banks going bust?
Now this is simply an invalid extrapolation. Note that I made no claims along these lines about what does or does not supposedly follow. Claims like “X reasoning is invalid” / “Y plan is unlikely to work” stand on their own; “what is the correct reasoning” / “what is a good plan” is a wholly separate question.