The freedom you speak about is precious but can't be taken for...

The freedom you speak about is precious but can't be taken for granted. For example, I note that in the so-called "land of the free", the USA, there are people who call themselves "libertarians" and "free speech absolutists" who are actually authoritarians determined to ban books and restrict freedoms. Despotic leaders and regimes are on the increase and international measurements show democracy is declining globally. Never ever say "it couldn't happen here".

I've also noticed that some people on hotcopper, and in share investing generally are a bit like people who bet on horse races. Some of them are unstoppably enthusiastic about the horse they've bet on and cheer from the stands using words and phrases they copy from each other. Then there are people who insist they have a "system" which will make them win. The slightest correlation between their system and a race result will reinforce their belief that it is true, even if it only happens within the limits of chance. Also, because horse-racing and share investing are male-dominated, you get a lot of silverback type behaviour, men strutting around making ostentatious displays of superiority and trying to humiliate others.