"I was poor, then I became rich, then I was poor again"

Pekelo · Jan 20, 2017

I have never seen this interview before, and I have to give props to Vic, giving access to the Japanese crew shortly after the events occurred, when the memories and the pain were obviously still fresh:

Here is the original documentary, unfortunately it is in Japanese. In some parts you can still catch people including Vic speaking in English and see his property and such:

If anyone is aware of an English version of this, a link would be much appreciated...

Frederick Foresight · Jan 20, 2017

Pekelo said:
I have never seen this interview before, and I have to give props to Vic, giving access to the Japanese crew shortly after the events occurred, when the memories and the pain were obviously still fresh:

I disagree. I understand the need to grieve and to tell someone because it lessens the burden and helps the healing process move forward. But to broadcast it to the world soon after the fact and while he is still in obvious pain is hard to watch and comes across as somewhat self-indulgent. Woe is me!

What is he up to these days?

lawrence-lugar · Jan 20, 2017

"I was poor, then I became rich, then I was poor again"

I didn't watch those entire videos, but I have little to no sympathy for people who have had it all...then lost it :banghead:

(that's an old video...i remember watching that on youtube years back)

Clubber Lang · Jan 20, 2017

Pekelo said:
I have never seen this interview before, and I have to give props to Vic, giving access to the Japanese crew shortly after the events occurred, when the memories and the pain were obviously still fresh:

Here is the original documentary, unfortunately it is in Japanese. In some parts you can still catch people including Vic speaking in English and see his property and such:

If anyone is aware of an English version of this, a link would be much appreciated...

VN is MarketSurfers man crush.
Get out the tissues and spank lotion MS!

dealmaker · Jan 20, 2017

Pekelo said:
I have never seen this interview before, and I have to give props to Vic, giving access to the Japanese crew shortly after the events occurred, when the memories and the pain were obviously still fresh:

Here is the original documentary, unfortunately it is in Japanese. In some parts you can still catch people including Vic speaking in English and see his property and such:

If anyone is aware of an English version of this, a link would be much appreciated...

His book "Education of a Speculator" is a fantastic read...

Pekelo · Jan 20, 2017

dealmaker said:
His book "Education of a Speculator" is a fantastic read...

Yeah, just missing 2 chapters, one on over leveraging, two on how not to make the same mistake twice. It was published BEFORE the 1997 blow up.

2 Japanese gentlemen are discussing it at 6 min in the first part. I am really curious what they say...

It is such a great book that one of his investors who lost money with him actually quote it in part 7, at 2:10 mins.

Frederick Foresight · Jan 20, 2017

dealmaker said:
His book "Education of a Speculator" is a fantastic read...

I never understood the hoopla. I read both of his books and didn't get much from either. I'm not trying to be overly negative about the fellow, just candid.

dealmaker · Jan 20, 2017

Frederick Foresight said:
I never understood the hoopla. I read both of his books and didn't get much from either. I'm not trying to be overly negative about the fellow, just candid.

Its entertaining read plus you pick up a nugget or two....

Zzzz1 · Jan 21, 2017

... If you are turned on my narcissistic men who need to retell their past successes over and over again, afraid anyone might have missed out. Plus someone who always traded against the trend based on obscure statistical anomalies and went broke time and again without having learned a thing is in my book plain stupid.

P. S. And let's not forget the retarded art he was showcasing in his book. Either painted by himself or another painter, depicting him time and again with his racket ball or tennis trophies. It got boring beyond the second chapter. I think I dumped the book in the trash before one of my many moves

dealmaker said:
His book "Education of a Speculator" is a fantastic read...

Frederick Foresight · Jan 21, 2017

Zzzz1 said:
... If you are turned on my narcissistic men who need to retell their past successes over and over again, afraid anyone might have missed out. Plus someone who always traded against the trend based on obscure statistical anomalies and went broke time and again without having learned a thing is in my book plain stupid.

Yes, it was the narcissism that struck me when I read his book. If memory serves, it is almost as though he was paying homage to himself. Even in the video in this thread, some of his humility is couched in humblebrag.

To be fair, his nature has served him well for a time and he has made more money in his life than I ever will. But his disrespect for risk was also the seed of his destruction. His need for attention and to stand out and be different (exhibit one: the look-at-me pastel-colored clothes) could possibly explain his propensity to doggedly trade against a prevailing trend. He may have espoused testing everything that could be tested, but an inflated ego evidently made him that much more vulnerable to confirmation bias. So, depending on the level of ego, even an otherwise smart guy can convince himself to do stupid stuff and blame a previous blow-up on an anomaly.

So just as the difference between medicine and poison can be in the dosage, confidence is a good thing but hubris kills.

I suppose it's easy being an armchair quarterback/psychologist. If it were difficult, I wouldn't have posted.