Quote from S2007S:
Exactly, all small investors who haven't put much of anything into this market over the last 11 months are now taking notice once again how volatile this market can be, I know a few people in the market who gained most of their losses back that say once they break even they are getting out for good, there are some who sold in early 2009 that will probably never come back into the market, only way is probably if the markets were to fall 50% from here. These baby boomers that are retiring will NOT risk anything in this market knowing how backwards this economy is right now.
Yeah, I did that after making back the losses from 1987, and stayed out until my business fell apart after 9/11. Those can be ugly lessons and it can take decades or a lifetime to get over the fear of a repeat. I was forced into gambling for a living. It wasn't by choice.