After seeing Nick’s tweet, I found myself on a little journey, leading me to what turned out to be my favorite negative review of my book, *Country of Relief*. Interestingly, my first book came out on May 26, 2009, but the review I stumbled upon was posted in 2016—seven years later. It was a reaction to a column I wrote for the Washington Post titled, “The real risk in the market is far from it.”
2016 Review of *Country of Relief* (2009):
Initially, I was pretty upset about the review. I mean, furious might be the better word. But as time passed, I started to see things differently. I had a moment where I reflected on the author’s motivations, trying to understand their emotional state. This shift from anger to a kind of annoyance was… enlightening.
It made me realize that it was, in a sense, a teaching moment. I was compelled to think about what might be going on in this person’s life, their feelings, and yes, even their investment portfolio. This was about eight years post-financial crisis, and just days after my Washington Post piece, they took the time to leave a one-star review on my book. That’s a pretty strong reaction, right?
What I first perceived as simple pettiness soon transformed into an understanding of frustration, possibly even anger—maybe their experience reflected a form of financial PTSD. I couldn’t shake the idea that maybe they sold their stocks back in 2009 and never looked back. No wonder they were so frustrated.
But then I found myself pondering—how many others have similar responses? With social media being what it is, we’re constantly bombarded with information that impacts us personally, yet how often do we consider the emotional weight of our reactions?
Over my 25 years in writing, I’ve tried to be mindful of how my words might affect others. Writers ought to, in some way, adhere to the principle of “do no harm.” But, it seems like some folks throw around market commentary recklessly, failing to consider the consequences.
There’s a lot of misinformation out there, fueled largely by those seeking clicks. Sure, traditional media has its flaws, but social media can feel even messier. Amazon reviews can also be hotspots for bad information. In this particular instance, my analysis on the benefits of long-term investing seemed to baffle this reviewer, prompting their harsh criticism.
I genuinely feel for this individual and what they must have been grappling with back in 2016. Yet, their preconceived notions and misunderstanding of market dynamics might have kept them from re-entering the stock market. If they remained convinced the risks (like Brexit and others) outweighed the benefits, they probably missed a remarkable opportunity—since then, the S&P 500 is up around 202%, with the Nasdaq soaring by 421%.
Every bull market eventually comes to an end, but it’s crucial not to let prior misconceptions dictate your investment decisions.
Previously:
Are you preparing your portfolio for a crisis? You might miss out on big profits (June 25, 2016)
Avoid candy from strangers (June 9, 2025)
Nobody knows—The Beatles Edition (September 26, 2024)
No one knows anything (complete archive)
