Sure. But is it possible that there is a limit to its value? Could it have reached and passed the point of diminishing returns? It was not really my intent to s

Sure. But is it possible that there is a limit to its value? Could it have reached and passed the point of diminishing returns? It was not really my intent to start up yet another debate about HFT in particular. I don't necessarily claim to know the answers to these questions. My point was more that there is a lot wrong with the financial system, but there is a core of good as well. It is a false dichotomy to argue between it being an evil broken system and a system that is working perfectly well that provides nothing but good. I was hoping to provoke a more thoughtful debate than we usually get around these matters. (And actually, your comment is a step in the right direction.)