December 27, 2018
The Ant and the Grasshopper
A Note by the 10th Man
Now seems like a good time to reprint my piece (first published in November 2017), which defends the investors who chose slow and steady returns instead of chasing moonshots—and warns the investors who had their heads turned by crypto/cannabis/FANG, etc.
Through December 24, this month is so far the worst month in the history of the S&P Index, going back to 1923. So these days, the ants who busted their asses through the multiple bubbles we had this year are surviving, while the grasshoppers are figuring out they have nothing to eat now that winter has arrived.
I also talk about the importance of wearing a seatbelt, metaphorically speaking. That advice still stands. If you’re not strapped in yet, please do so. We’re just getting started.
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I’m sure you’ve heard the fable of the ant and the grasshopper. The ant busted his ass all year growing some grain to store for the winter, while the grasshopper was laying about, playing the fiddle. When winter came around, the grasshopper had no food, so he went to the ant’s house to beg for some. The ant told him to beat it, and the grasshopper starved to death. The end.
