The thing about being an excessive doomsayer is that enables one to be financially lazy. The thought process is that since we are all doomed, let’s rationalize why it’s never a good idea or good time to invest in anything. This makes the decision process a heck of a lot easier. Do nothing, leave money in a 1%CD, and convince yourself there’s nothing better out there.

But when one sees other assets outperforming after years and years, what ends up happening is one end up spending a lot more time trying to rationalize the decision to stay out, even going as far as trying to find news clippings here and there that seem to support that position that a crash is near, all while the markets keep changing for better or worse, costing a fortune in missed opportunities.

Taking calculated risk and trying to figure out when and where, is a lot more difficult, because it takes a lot more nerves and a lot more time trying to figure out what. Shutting off the brain early is easy. You can do that anytime.

And investing in socially responsible stock is hogwash. I’ll take my nice gain in Phillip Morris, Altria, and Monsanto (which is being acquired) over any sort of socially responsible company with crappy performance anyday.