As a long-time student of world religions, I wondered if there was any interest in opening up a discussion of religious/spiritual aspects of trading.
Most people have a belief system of one kind or another that they buy into and practice.
On the surface, trading is a purely material activity, but as Mark Twain wrote "any so-called material thing that you want is merely a symbol: you want it not for itself, but because it will content your spirit for the moment."
So what, as traders, is it that we're really looking for? Is it a test of ourselves against others? Only a game that we play to while away the hours? Is there any way to structure trading or an approach to trading that is more in line with your belief structures? How have traders in the community done this?
In the hedge fund industry, I ran into a lot of Ann Rynd'ers who were essentially objectivists who bought wholeheartedly into the philosophy that -- "individuals rationally and circumspectly seeking their own long-term happiness hold the world on their shoulders." Greed is good and so on. How many of you are on that particular bus? How does that feel?
I open up the question because it seems to me it might be useful to get an overview of not only how everyone trades and what they are trading, but how they feel about the trading they are doing, and what the philosophies are that drive that.
I personally am a Buddhist and I've found that texts from the Buddhist tradition and Taoist tradition are useful in helping me to see beyond what it is I'm doing on a day to day basis to something that is more of a "path of life," as opposed to a daily grind with only short term goals.
Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after -- so what is it we're all here fishing for?
Thanks for your input.
Most people have a belief system of one kind or another that they buy into and practice.
On the surface, trading is a purely material activity, but as Mark Twain wrote "any so-called material thing that you want is merely a symbol: you want it not for itself, but because it will content your spirit for the moment."
So what, as traders, is it that we're really looking for? Is it a test of ourselves against others? Only a game that we play to while away the hours? Is there any way to structure trading or an approach to trading that is more in line with your belief structures? How have traders in the community done this?
In the hedge fund industry, I ran into a lot of Ann Rynd'ers who were essentially objectivists who bought wholeheartedly into the philosophy that -- "individuals rationally and circumspectly seeking their own long-term happiness hold the world on their shoulders." Greed is good and so on. How many of you are on that particular bus? How does that feel?
I open up the question because it seems to me it might be useful to get an overview of not only how everyone trades and what they are trading, but how they feel about the trading they are doing, and what the philosophies are that drive that.
I personally am a Buddhist and I've found that texts from the Buddhist tradition and Taoist tradition are useful in helping me to see beyond what it is I'm doing on a day to day basis to something that is more of a "path of life," as opposed to a daily grind with only short term goals.
Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after -- so what is it we're all here fishing for?
Thanks for your input.