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At what point does almost anything else you mentioned help the business? Firstly, it's a market place. The business and investor need to find each other. To

*At what point does almost anything else you mentioned help the business?* Firstly, it's a market place. The business and investor need to find each other. To create the market place, you must understand that different investors and different businesses have use cases that you don't need, such as "almost anything else" I mentioned. *Everything else seems likes gambling, imho* One of the dimensions is risk profile. Some investors want risky positions in highly leveraged trades e.g. buying a lottery ticket. Some though want a minimal return on an almost sure bet e.g. Italy won't be beaten by San Marino at football.

codeisawesome 9y ago
So we do admit the words bet and gambling apply to derivatives, at some point in these discussions. Fine. The reason why folks must be confused is that, non Stock market gambling is seen as a vice and/or crime by much of human society. There are religious edicts and/or laws against this practice in most places. The Stock Market getting a free pass from this view - and most people (including myself) not knowing about the nature of this system until they dig a bit deeper - seems unfair. Las Vegas is looked upon as lascivious even when some of the gambling requires skill (Poker / Blackjack) - derivates trading is instead marketed as a great career where the people doing are superheroes. I’m not bitter about this even if the message sounds so. Just fascinated by the asymmetry of perception.
- lbotos 9y ago
  I remember when I learned how to day trade foreign exchange with a simple technical analysis strategy. When I started I was ready to have to learn all kinds of advanced maths and expected to "level up" analytical thought. Then I learned it's all about risk management and absolutely technical analysis trading is gambling. I agree with you, blew my mind!
- wbl 9y ago
  If I buy a dentist practice from a retiring dentist that's no different from me buying shares of IBM from someone who is retiring.

*At what point does almost anything else you mentioned help the business?* Firstly, it's a market place. The business and investor need to find each other. To

codeisawesome 9y ago

So we do admit the words bet and gambling apply to derivatives, at some point in these discussions. Fine. The reason why folks must be confused is that, non Stock market gambling is seen as a vice and/or crime by much of human society. There are religious edicts and/or laws against this practice in most places. The Stock Market getting a free pass from this view - and most people (including myself) not knowing about the nature of this system until they dig a bit deeper - seems unfair. Las Vegas is looked upon as lascivious even when some of the gambling requires skill (Poker / Blackjack) - derivates trading is instead marketed as a great career where the people doing are superheroes. I’m not bitter about this even if the message sounds so. Just fascinated by the asymmetry of perception.

lbotos 9y ago
I remember when I learned how to day trade foreign exchange with a simple technical analysis strategy. When I started I was ready to have to learn all kinds of advanced maths and expected to "level up" analytical thought. Then I learned it's all about risk management and absolutely technical analysis trading is gambling. I agree with you, blew my mind!
wbl 9y ago
If I buy a dentist practice from a retiring dentist that's no different from me buying shares of IBM from someone who is retiring.