I'm not downvoting you for sure, given I share your sentiment. However some stocks may exhibit some persistence (as in Hurst exponent > 0.5) so some gambles may

I'm not downvoting you for sure, given I share your sentiment. However some stocks may exhibit some persistence (as in Hurst exponent > 0.5) so some gambles may be worth taking, in the right proportions (very small). I am also wary of index funds, they share the same likelihood of blowing up as stocks. I like the reasoning of Nassim Nicholas Taleb that sums up to adopting a convex portfolio (barbell strategy) with a lot of sure money that sits there (inflation hedged) and some small bets with high potential returns. Some single stocks may be featured in my bets.