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29-01-2015, 11:07 AM
(This post was last modified: 29-01-2015, 11:08 AM by LionFlyer.)
We talk about greed as an underlying factor of why people here in Singapore seem to keep falling for the same type of scams, but I've been thinking whether we are overlooking something else.
We talk about someone with $2 million investing in such a scheme as being greedy but I see it as someone deeply insecure about the future. As far as I can tell, a typical conversation with my peers (PMET, 30s) would seem to involve investments and planning for the future as one of the common topics. Surveys informing us we need XX million to retire. Government talking about CPF Life. Newspaper articles about successful people and their investment approaches on Sundays. Youths and young people talking about investments in polys, universities.
All these are subtle "messages" are reinforcing the belief that you need to do something, otherwise, you will end up as that old man/woman, selling tissue paper at the MRT station. Actually, this came to me precisely because I saw a sad looking old lady in pajamas with an outreach hand begging for money and you can see everyone trying to avert her gaze. I contrast that to some of the countries I've been; you hardly see anyone being obsessed with investments.
You can count on the greed of man for the next recession to happen.
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Olden day the survival the fittest is based on physical strength and power. In today world, is more about connection and knowledge.
Many of this is obvious scams which people falls into. I think is much more than need to do something in investment. There is strong element of Ignorance and Greed in play spiced with Gambling attribute mentality. Else who with the right mindset will throw $2M and feeling insecure with that amount of investable money ....
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(29-01-2015, 09:57 AM)edragon Wrote: (28-01-2015, 12:36 PM)specuvestor Wrote: ^^Like I mentioned in my previous post... it is clear someone sure win 
Yes, you are right. It's only a transfer of wealth...from someone to another person.
Zero sum game or Zero sum + game ?
Just make sure that in any financial game one do not be the eventual transferor. One must end up to be the transferee.
So to sum up, if you are indeed winning, take profits BE THE TRANSFEREE.
Even though it is against the wisdom of this Site, it is price that we are concerned with eventually. Talked until death, it is still price, price & price so the end game is profit, profit & profit.
If it goes up (the price) we are happy.
Actually value investing is concerned about cashflow. The price is important as a denominator to the cashflow yield. That is why Buffett's holding period can be forever and happy to see prices come DOWN.
Capital gain actually is incidental to cashflow, but that's a boring proposition to most investors who are looking at prices everyday. Capital gains from newsflows and stories are much more exciting, I can't say specuvestor is immune to that
but I've learnt to pick and choose carefully
Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give. –William A. Ward
Think Asset-Business-Structure (ABS)
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Agree! Why would people even believe in such an investment? Money is used to fund professional gamblers...Might as well go to the casino and double up. 100% profits! Haha
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11-04-2015, 06:04 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-04-2015, 06:07 PM by vesfreq.)
(16-03-2015, 02:53 PM)Realistic Wrote: Agree! Why would people even believe in such an investment? Money is used to fund professional gamblers...Might as well go to the casino and double up. 100% profits! Haha
Where greed exists, there will be believers in these get-rich-quick schemes. Humans are inherently greedy. Recently, one sms invited me to fx trading seminar for free. Another friend (who switched career) called up quite often to "share" investment ideas, but always get turned away.
If its so lucrative, the purveyors of these "get rich schemes" wouldnt waste time selling whatever they are selling. They would be doing it themselves first. Human behaviour is driven by vested interest and is often the case. Working for aspiration was a yester year phenomenon.
Madoff is a good example. Its something part and parcel of human history. What to do. There is something which we cant control over others. That is freedom of choice..... Including choice to commit to acts of insanity. @@
The thing I am scared most is not nightmares or market crashes..... Its my greed that I fear the most.
When people ask what is my target price, I never have any good answer for it because Philip Fisher said before (in Common Stock Uncommon Profit) that the best time to sell is never. Equity investment is buying into ownership, not betting slips.
The path to greatness and wealth is necessarily dangerous.... because greed is a fearsome fore that threatens your success at every step.
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u give me your money and i will sure win
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too many of these scams... sigh.... wonder how to help all these ppls?? really sooo easy to cheat?! :O
1) Try NOT to LOSE money!
2) Do NOT SELL in BEAR, BUY-BUY-BUY! invest in managements/companies that does the same!
3) CASH in hand is KING in BEAR!
4) In BULL, SELL-SELL-SELL!
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