I can understand that an investor may hold a bearish global...

I can understand that an investor may hold a bearish global economic outlook that they believe may cause stock markets to go lower in the future.

But what I can't understand is why an investor introduces a good long position into the equation in the hope of profit . Why bring in an extra variable if you want t to profit from a stock market correction/bear market/ collapse?

Wouldn't it be better to simply short a few major indices and profit with one less variable?

Gold drops in as many past market crashes as it gain. Why risk it?