Contrarian

[Ego]

Think differently, live frugally, be willing to bet against conventional thinking, and, above all, be honest.

http://vimeo.com/54784641#

[Chad]

Looks interesting even though his foundation appears to be funding it. I do lean more towards contrarian & value style investing. Thus, I like emerging markets going forward and maybe even a little gold or gold miners as a trade. Heresy for me with the gold trade.

[Ego]

True. Rule #1 of contrarianism: Find a way to ensure that your life doesn't depend on it.

Chad, I don't have the guts for gold. Or maybe it's the brains. Whenever I entertain the idea I think of Jacob's thought experiment where I anticipate what everyone else will do.... then take it to the next level and try to anticipate the fact that everyone is anticipating.... and so on... to infinity and beyond. Then I give up and forget about gold.

[Chad]

Chad, I don't have the guts for gold. Or maybe it's the brains. Whenever I entertain the idea I think of Jacob's thought experiment where I anticipate what everyone else will do.... then take it to the next level and try to anticipate the fact that everyone is anticipating.... and so on... to infinity and beyond. Then I give up and forget about gold.

Yeah, I fall prey to a similar logic death spiral sometimes. It's kind of like the poisoned wine scene in the Princess Bride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_eZmEiyTo0

I have to rein myself in when I start this foolishness.

I'm only buying a little gold and looking for a bounce in the next year or so. Then I'm out. I'm in the emerging markets for a longer haul. Though, I will have to keep on eye on what the Pentagon 2020 report predicts.

I will also be adding to my US positions on any pullbacks (mini-contrarian).

[greenMinimalism]

That's right! This is actually the most common deathbed regret: "I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me." I've blogged about it in more detail at ( http://t.co/bSNBQ7WkyN ) but I think that everyone needs to become more contrarian and go against normality. If being normal was correct, then why does the definition of "mainstream" change and reverse itself all the time?