Gold is through the roof- the stock market is in the tank! On one hand it looks like a text book case for investing in cash, short term parking meter stuff- then when the slightest signs of life show up, start investing in text book stuff- equity. If you are already there- stay there.

But are we in something new? have the basics changed? are we in a real brave new world of money? The answer is yes and no!

Observation:- we are still people, in China, New York, or Tulsa ( no I don't live in Tulsa) and we want to be fullfilled, secure and basically happy: we want to be surronded by people we like and trust. We want power, we want wealth, we want to live for ever. I don't mean I want to live forever broken, diseased and in pain. So no matter what, the beat goes on. We are the stuff of markets- we people are the very stuff. 

In my store the way that comes out of the pocket is when the person that enters my door feels engaged , simply as a person, with their own story. When they like the atmospher then tend to buy.

 The world of finance feels very insecure right now. What must happen to make it feel reasonably comfortable again.

Question:

Will it take a strong group of bulls to simply make a stand? If enough money came into the market at once could this not begin a turn around. That might be the answer. An internet, all media driven bull conspiracy, huge amounts of money flowing into equities. After all it takes positive actions to create positive results. Has the current  bear media created negative actions, with negative results?  

Anybody out there got any thoughts? 

"The world of finance feels very insecure right now. What must happen to make it feel reasonably comfortable again"

Bearbuster - you ask a very big question.  The market is a reflection of humankind.  Right now fear dominates.  Last year, greed dominated.  That cycle may go on forever because a large percentage of humans still operate viscerally.  For people that DO think (like you, me and a few others or hopefully more than a few) these times are only disturbing because of the problems we observe locally and globally, not just for our own singular self-interest.  However things turn around at these times and I'm hoping that greater understanding, higher regard for others and common sense will become the prevailing factors after this shakeout.  If that happens, this world will be a better place for more people than it is today.

One of the biggest concerns I have is the tendency of people to accept slogans or thin reasoning instead of proper analysis. This may seem a little off subject however it's the herd mentality that runs with shallow or even non-existent reasoning.  Last year companies were buying up with unbelievable frenzy even though there was no increased value in prices from one sale to the next.  It was perplexing why they were doing that.  And just in my own circle, when I poo-pooed peoples' willingness to dive in and get themselves into such deep debt simply so they could own unprecedented amounts of frivolous items, my critisism was frowned upon as being old-fashioned. 

If this crisis has the one effect of making people feel enough pain to think before they accept the "norm" then it will have been a very profitable event and even worth it.