IMO, by providing the support needed to prevent a crash, the "big boys" are able to continue a long distribution in which they are able to get out of their holdings, while keeping enough "hope" alive so that the little guy holds the bag.
How many non-traders do you know that have completely liquidated their 401k, even though it has had an endless bleeding?
If everyone dumps and gets it overwith, then no one really gets out. Everyone ends up holding the bag equally.
I believe the game is played to keep the propaganda machine going so that the big guys win, and the little guy is a sucker.
Case in point - as much as I avoid conventional business news, I happend to catch a few minutes of Nightly Business Report, and they had some dufus saying it "might be time to nibble at some tech stocks" like AMAT, and giving a friendly knowledgable wink as he said it.
Have to admit it's a real bargain now, p/e is down to 782, and how many "little guys" are technically astute enough to see that it's in a relentless downtrend?
So the campaign endlessly advises to just stand there, don't worry about the chairs filling up, the music won't stop, youl be just fine.
"Think long term"
"Dont try to time the market"
"Ignore the fact that you are getting wiped out"
"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain"
More and more little guys are waking up to this, but many still arent.
I think most on this forum realize, that as hard and dangerous as trading is, "buy and hold" is financial suicide in this environment.
But gently letting the market down, and stopping crashes helps obscure this truth.
Sorry to have been so rambling, but it is truly sickening what is being done to investors who still have any trust.