Sometimes I think that trading is a very bad job

First, this science debate ..... From somebody that has many publications in major international science journals ......

Look ... Carl Sagan was a great promoter of science: anyone that listened or was fortunate enough to have discussions with him for a few minutes was struck with this fact: I met him a few times. My opinion of him is that he did believe in what he said. I also think he was a fairly decent guy and an excellent speaker.

Science is a way to try to understand this place and it is our choosen method to investigate all manner of things: "Science" however is something else and anyone who starts high and mighty discussions regarding how much "better" and "deserving" the profession is than the rest of society should spend a few years working in the upper eschelon of the profession: "Science" is a business like any other and IMHO the people in it are not any better than anyone else - actually less deserving of praise when you examine in detail the day to day operations in this realm.

Trading is a business: to the extent that you create profits and reinvest that into businesses that employ people you are doing good. If you generate spare profits that help the community so much the better ....
 
Nice list Scientist! Still I wouldn`t name Adolf Hitler an " accredited universal genius" . And if you ever go on vacation in Europe, especially Germany: If you get caught reading Hitler`s book you`ll finish reading in jail. The posession of such book is a criminal offence.

So, how about Nietsche, Pascal or even Siegmund F. ?

Best wishes

Hittfeld
 
Something went wrong in this thread. People have acknowledged that traders provide liquidity in the markets. Then they just went on to whole lot of other stuff.

Wait a minute. Providing liquidity to the markets is more than enough to call trading a profession, a career, a job, in my opinion.

Company comes out with stock, and they need to sell it to someone because they need to raise money. The public buys it. A REAL service is created, because the Company gets money to invest and expand, and the public gets a share of that Company. Now, if there were no liquidity or substantially less liquidity available because there were no traders around, then what would happen? How can anybody sell stock? How can anybody buyy stock? The prices would go crazy. A dude, as part of the public, who bought the stock but now needs the money for something else in his life (maybe trying to buy a house) would get raped. He'd be lucky to sell out at half the price he bought the stock.

Now, the trader steps in, takes all of the risks associated with the stock, and provides liquidity, and provides money to the dude who wants to sell stock. The trader buys it. THIS IS A VERY REAL AND TANGIBLE SERVICE, WITH A LOT OF VALUE. Again, the trader is not doing nothing here. He's putting up money to give to the dude who is selling stock, and the trader is taking all this risk. WHo would be willing to do this? THis takes fortitude, this takes guts and money that is saved up. THis is a very valuable service. How the hell can this not be a profession with very real services that create value to society?

Also, the advances in technology and all that stuff may be great. But what's the use of that all, anyway? We're not much happier than we were before. US is the richest nation with the best medical technology, freedom, etc. in the world and look how many people take Zoloft, Prozac and go to therapists and psychiatrists constantly. Are we that much happier because of the advances in technology? I'm not so sure.

My opinion.

Jake
 
Quote from Hittfeld:

Nice list Scientist! Still I wouldn`t name Adolf Hitler an " accredited universal genius" . And if you ever go on vacation in Europe, especially Germany: If you get caught reading Hitler`s book you`ll finish reading in jail. The posession of such book is a criminal offence.

So, how about Nietsche, Pascal or even Siegmund F. ?

Best wishes

Hittfeld
More...
Thanks a lot. I have added Nietzsche, Pascal and Freud to my list - Although they are amongst my top favourite authors, they are possibly not as monumental even as the other ones I mentioned. I have Nietzsche and Freud "The Interpretation of Dreams" on my bedside table. I read them in both English and the original German versions!

As for Adolf Hitler - I don't know about "criminal offence" - are you sure? I lived and studied in Germany for over 13 years, speak German more fluently than English and have read Hitlers "Mein Kampf" in the original language.

While I'm not a fan of his cruelties at all, his literature gives us a vast and true insight into the darkest sides and corners of human psyche. Scary read. And yes - He was deemed a genius - His was IQ150+ and is listed on "genius" lists.

But yeah. Genius in his own way...


Yours Sincerely,
~The Scientist
 
Quote from mali:

First of all, let me excuse myself; but I gotta say so.
Yeah, it's exciting, it's challenging, I have to admit that but we create nothing, no job for other peoples (except for broker), no value for the society.


So what? Get real. You think people in regular jobs create something? Ok here is what most corporate jobs create: more junk or stuff people don't need to feed people's desire for consumption. You think the advertiser, the telemarketer, the shark lawyer, the realtor, create value for society ? bwahaha
More...
 
Quote from 1contract:

Jake,
You've hit the nail on the head. This is what separates trading from poker. End of story.
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I agree - But then there's also pro poker, which is much the same...

Man you've got the funniest name...
Sorry, but I just had to say that... :D

~Scientist
 
Quote from Kicking:
So what? Get real. You think people in regular jobs create something? Ok here is what most corporate jobs create: more junk or stuff people don't need to feed people's desire for consumption. You think the advertiser, the telemarketer, the shark lawyer, the realtor, create value for society ? bwahaha
More...

I agree with Kicking.
Trading feels better than working as a corporate automaton. I used to work for a packaged food company. Did it make me feel good that I was working for a company that delivered food to the masses? No, because I knew that I was contibuting to the increase in obesity, desease, and overall lack of vitality that results from the overconsumption of packaged junk food. Very few organizations/people create real wealth/value in society. That's why I'm all for inequality.

10/90 or 20/80
Inequality gives life worth
The wise understand
 
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